Rose Red- My New Beginning
by Akai Sera
Summary: My name is Rose Red. I'm a writer. My cousin, Weiss Snow, is the man chosen to revive Echo Town a year ago. After mourning my parents' deaths I accepted Weiss' invitation to live in Echo Town, and his challenge to attend the Starry Night Festival. But with prophetic nightmares and my own inhibitions in my way, could a journalist with a dark past be the key to my new beginning?
1. Rose Red and Snow White

Rose Red... I never liked my name. I'm not fragile, tender, or exceptionally beautiful. In fact, with my short hair and genderless clothing, I was mistaken for a boy pretty often back home. But then again, I never cared about gender as my identity, preferring the company of books to people and hard work to socializing. I'm a natural redhead, something my parents had been proud of, but I'm always dyeing my hair different colors and cutting it to a short, messy perfection I call my own.

The only thing more noticeable than my sometimes-purple hair is the blue-eyed glare I set on any nuisance that gets in the way of my work. By the way, that glare is what I was wearing as I made my entrance into the newly revived Echo Town. My cousin Weiss had been living here for almost a year, and so far he'd managed to help build about half a town's worth of buildings and draw in a few people. I was impressed by the sight of villagers milling about the land that had seemed desolate a year ago when my parents visited this place with me for the last time.

No, they weren't in a tragic accident. I was adopted in a place called Orchard Town at the age of 5, when mom and dad found out they were unable to have children of their own. The place was aptly named, having plenty of groves of peaches and apples, and even a few family-owned vineyards. I _loved _the apple orchard on our 5 acre plot. Weiss and I spent the Summers lying in the wheat fields and imagining pirate battles in the white clouds that sailed the blue of the sky. That was when I began writing. Paper became a canvas for my every thought, and stories were my way of improving a dull day.

About a year ago the trees started disappearing, cut for lumber by the company that had bought out our land and our livelihood. Mom and dad hit their 30th wedding anniversary a week before dad passed away of pancreatic cancer, and mom followed only two weeks behind, stricken with grief. I felt happy for them, because they believed they were soulmates and would be reborn together in their next lives. The two of them were never apart, and wouldn't have to be again, even if I couldn't see them any longer. They were buried together beneath the last surviving tree of the orchard they'd sold to pay for father's medical needs.

I think that's enough of my sappy, stereotypical backstory. Just to clarify, I'm a novelist and farmhand, so I wasn't making the move just to get away from the past. I'd heard that two writers, both journalists I think, were living in the town, but no one was there to provide stories. I wanted to be able to share my work again, so I took up on the offer Weiss had extended to me a year ago to stay in the town. But rather than living on the ranch he'd inherited from his parents (My adopted mother's sister and her husband) I'd be staying at the inn he'd helped build. After all, he was looking to settle down within the year, and if I was living with him when he turned into a sappy, lovestruck goof it could get awkward. Especially since at 24 I was still dismissing romance as silly and unnecessary, while Weiss had been girl-crazy since he hit puberty.

Let's get back to that glare; I'd just arrived in Echo Town, having trudged the last 3 miles of the journey through snow that was too deep to maneuver my guide and our horses through. Lugging my bags, I had just sat down on a fine stone bench to rest when a shadow fell over my belongings.

"Let me fix that unfortunate mess the storm made of your hair." I didn't know the voice, but judging by the distance between myself and the people who hadn't bothered to tell me where Dunhill had got off to, it was addressing me... And my hair was exactly the way I'd fixed it that morning. Well, except for the bits of stick and mud that had gotten tangled in it when I'd fallen off my horse into a snowdrift... "Excuse me," I snapped, glaring up at a guy who looked a little like myself, "What exactly's wrong with my hair?" Frowning, I studied him as he sighed and replied, "I'm a great hairstylist. Trust me, birds' nest is not your look, babe." His eyes, a darker shade of blue than mine, sat behind black-framed glasses, studying me as his lips curled into a smirk of pity and condescension.

"Hey, I cut it myself! AND added the black tips, thank you very much. Call me babe again and you'll find yourself with a black eye, pretty boy."

"It's Allen. You'd be blessed to remember that, Little Miss Birds' Nest~"

I'd pretty much had enough of this guy's judging looks, so I hopped up and snatched my bags from the ground, trudging toward the inn through the 6 inches of snow that paled in comparison to the depth outside the town. Short crisp footsteps followed mine, a beat behind, and I resisted the urge to look back, grumbling, "For your information, _Allen, _I'm Weiss' cousin from Orchard Town. I'm going to be living here from now on... and if you don't take back the birds' nest comments, you're going to see the resemblance between yourself and my next mystery villain."

"Oh, so you're the novelist Weiss was talking about. I haven't read your works, but I assume the author's page is awful. You can't expect to take a good photograph with your hair all scraggly, you know. At least put enough care into your appearance to wear a little makeup, or at least girls' clothes. Actually, both would be an improvement. And if you don't want me to refer to you by the state of your hair, you should tell me your name."

With a sigh, I hefted my suitcase over my shoulder, mumbling, "It's Rose, alright?"

Allen gave an amused 'hmph,' replying, "Rose? That's a pretty cute name for someone so hostile." Allen's voice drew further away as he walked off toward the building I assumed was his shop, but I heard him clearly. "If you come by later I can take care of your look! With my skill maybe you could do justice to your name!"

"No thanks, Ego-boy! I've got self-freakin' confidence, so you can go-" I froze, looking down at the chubby kid standing by the door to the inn. I put on a fake smile, glad I hadn't finished that sentence, and addressed him. "Er- Uh, hey, I'm Rose. I think the inkeeper's expecting me?" With a timid nod, he pointed at the door. "He's in there, ma'am..."

"Thanks," I replied, opening the door and slipping into the inn. Then I dusted the snow off my shoulders and gave a sigh at the warmth of the building. "Hey, Hossan? It's Rose, from Orchard Town." The man waved from behind the counter, calling, "Welcome to Echo Town, Rose. Your room is upstairs, take the right, last door on the left. Here's the key." He slipped a silver key across the desk to me, too busy writing to look up. "Sorry, I'd show you to the room, but I'm doing the ledger for Fall. If you go to Dunhill later, he'll explain about the shops, festivals, and customs of the town. You're lucky to come at this time of year. We've got some great Winter festivals. If you need anything for your room, just ask."

I took the key and gave Hossan a nod that he likely didn't see, hauling my belongings up the stairs and to my room. When I opened the door, I expected a quaint little room with a bed and a desk; obviously, Weiss had decorated it before my arrival. One wall was lined with bookshelves, and in the corner there was a writing desk with a typewriter. It had a window with red linen curtains that opened onto a view of the forest behind, and the bedsheets were patterned with felt apples that my cousin and I had made years ago. I unloaded my clothes into the mahogany dresser and set up my books by authors' name on the shelves, stacking up unfinished writings on the desk, beside the typewriter. Then I set a picture on the desk in its frame. It was of myself and my parents, but Weiss was in it too, waving from the corner. His naturally white hair had earned him the nickname Snow White, from the same Grimm's Tale as my first and middle names, Rose Red. Without letting the photo get me all sappy, I peeled off my jacket and sat on the bed, taking in the surroundings. _Maybe this place'll be alright, as long as I can avoid that annoying hairdresser. _

Weiss had told me about a few of the villagers. Dunhill, whom I'd met, was friendly and wanted what was best for the town. 'Allen' was a self-satisfied, controlling stylist who Weiss didn't want me hanging around anyway. There were two journalists: Tina, a young girl who loved a good scoop and was a fan of interesting finds, and Soseki, some guy who acted older than he was and was in my cousin's opinion lazy but harmless. Then there were Rod and Neil, the animal guys. Polar opposites socially, both loved their livestock, though Weiss said he was friends with Rod but never really talked to Neil, who was callous and sometimes mean-spirited toward humans. Then again, Weiss and I were like that. He'd always been the one people came to when they needed a friend. I was the one who told them honestly what I thought, and it wasn't generally what people wanted to hear...

Hana, the woman who ran the general store, was kindly and would cut a deal with anyone who brought her some fish. Weiss hadn't told me much about the restaurant, travel agency, clinic, or tailor's, but he did mention two other people: Yuri and Felicity. He'd become friends with both of them since their coming to the town, but Weiss had confided in me that he was planning on inviting one of them to some star-festival in about 4 weeks. The problem he had was deciding which girl he was interested in as more than friends.

I REALLY wasn't the person to come to with his relationship problems, but since I was the only relative he spoke to, I guess he needed a friendly ear. In my opinion, he should've been focusing on the town he was still working on reviving, but he was allowed to enjoy himself too... Weiss wanted me to meet these girls and give him my opinion. _I guess after I visit Dunhill and check-in with Weiss, I'll give 'em a once over and tell him my opinion. And then it's back to holing up and writing. _


	2. A Challenge and a Promise

It was already 5pm... I'd met with Dunhill for coffee and a discussion over 2 hours ago, and that time had been spent answering questions about Weiss, my parents, and my interest in the town. He was glad to see that I hadn't changed in the year since I'd come by, but hoped that the villagers would help me with any problems, meaning he thought I was depressed about mom and dad... With a begrudging smile I bade him a good evening and walked out into the town, pulling my green jacket closer around myself as a chilly wind blew through the area. No one was outside, and I wasn't going to go in random people's houses without permission just to say hi...

That left me to greet Weiss on his farm, where a year ago there had been a row of empty fields, a dilapidated barn, and an abandoned farmhouse. As I walked in below the wooden arch that read "Snow Farm," I noticed light spilling from structures that, like many of the buildings in town, hadn't been here when I'd left. "You've been busy, Weiss..." With a slight smile I allowed myself a moment of admiration for my cousin's hard work. Then, seeing as he wasn't out there, I snuck over to the barn to take a peek at his livestock.

Two cows watched me timidly as a sheep munched on fodder. "Hey ya little fluffballs." Chuckling, I rubbed the sheep on the head, taking a couple treats from the pack I'd brought along. "Eat up, buddy-" Something soft was touching my shoulder and the back of my neck... I leaned aside cautiously and glanced to my left to see an alpaca laying its head on me. "Aw, c'mere you!" I gave the wooly alpaca a rub and a treat, letting her follow me around as I gave each animal a snack. In the logbook, the alpaca's name was recorded as Bean. A sheep was Jelly. In fact, they all had names involving candy... The cows were Taffy and Jujube.

With one last hug I patted Bean, promising I'd come back the next day, and headed to the coop to hang out with the chickens.

What? Can't a girl get along with animals? They're so much more... honest than people. You can tell that they've been cared for and loved, and they love in return, whereas humans take advantage of one another for their own desires and pride. I make a point every week to spend a few hours mindlessly scrolling through animal pictures online in my spare time. So far it's helped me write better friendships than humans ever did for my stories.

"Rose Red, why am I not surprised?" I looked up from the chicken I'd been petting furiously during my reflection, hopping up and crossing my arms with a cough. With a laugh at my embarrassment, Weiss added, "I see you've been checking out my animals. What do you think?"

Weiss' white hair had been trimmed to a neat cut a little shorter than mine, but his brown eyes still held the spark of immaturity that had led to his banishment from many a local pub a few years ago. "They're very well cared for," I observed, noting my cousin's weather appropriate but dirt-smudged clothing. "Though you could use a little more care... Isn't one of your girlfriends a tailor?"

"Th- they're not my girlfriends!" Weiss' face was turning pink, and I couldn't help but poke fun at his dilemma. "Neither one ever will be if you stay cooped up on your farm all day, pun intended, Snowy~" Shaking his head, Weiss gave me a half-smile, replying, "This coming from you? Your idea of a social life is letting a forum of strangers judge your writing. I'd hoped that since you'd opted to stay in Orchard Town before, you'd settle down with someone, but I guess that was too much to hope for? Love goes beyond immediate family and animals, you know." His face was reddening again, and it looked like he was thinking about those girls.

"Tch, who needs love? I've got the internet." Always the buzzkill, I stuck my tongue out at my lovestruck cousin, adding, "And my writing... But mostly the internet." Weiss gave a long sigh before shrugging his shoulders. "I didn't want to do this, but I guess it's the only way to make you understand."

"Understand what?" What was he talking about? It was making me uncomfortable, because his face was far too serious for the Weiss I knew... He crossed his arms and started the craziest explanation I'd heard in a long time.

"There are four men living in this city right now that are around our age, all single as far as I know. With any luck, another two will be able to move here within a week or two. On the twenty-fifth there will be a Starry Night Festival, an occasion for couples to go see the stars together... I myself intend to take either Yuri or Felicity on a date..." Again with the embarrassed blushing! He was going to have a hard time asking one of 'em when he did finally pick.

"I'm going to issue you a challenge, Red. If you can become friends with these guys by then and go to the festival with one of them, I'll get the villagers to help me build another barn for you to keep your own animals in, and I'll give you the extra land to the East of this acre to do with as you will... You can keep or plant anything you like, and it will be your own. If you decide to stay here in Echo Town, I'll even help you build a house there... What do you say?"

My heart skipped a beat... After mom and dad had sold the orchard, I'd had no land of my own, not even a yard outside the small house I'd been working in on the last bit of our property. Weiss must have known exactly what I would do with the land he'd offered, because after about ten seconds of my shocked silence, he added, "I've cleared it of trees and had the area tilled." I took the small drawstring bag on my necklace in my hand. The red velvet bag was my most prized possession. In it I'd saved the seeds from the last apple off my parents' apple tree, which had grown twisted and barren since their burial. About 10 seeds, dark teardrops of hope, had been salvaged and hidden for this past year in my satchel. Only Weiss knew why they were so precious to me, and out of respect for my dream of reviving the orchard, he'd never given me a hint of doubt about the possibility.

"All I have to do is go to that festival with someone who lives in town?" I didn't know these guys, but they couldn't be so bad if Weiss wanted me to try going out with one of them... Swallowing hard, I ignored the tears that stung my eyes as I thought of my parents' love for the trees I could now bring back, quipping, "You're on, Snowy. But one condition; I will NOT go with that bossy hairstylist."


	3. Nightmares and Dreamscapes

Lying beneath the comforter of my new bed, I gripped my red bag and stared up at the ceiling, thinking about my deal with Weiss. Sure, I was going to have to get to know a few people. I had to help him choose between the two girls he liked, and I needed to be friendly with the villagers if I was going to stay here... But going on a date? I didn't know anyone but Dunhill and Weiss, and that gave me 24 days to get to know and ask out one of three guys I'd never met. There was Rod, who had been described as friendly and fun-loving, Neil, who Weiss said was cold and antisocial, and Soseki, who was apparently lazy and acted old...

There was also that dork Allen, I guess, but I'd already decided he wasn't even friend material. Neil sounded the most similar to myself, since he had an animal shop, but if he was colder than me it'd be a pain to get in his good graces for the bet... I'd just have to meet all these people and see for myself what I was getting into.

_Why did I agree to this...? _I asked it of myself, but the answer was in the drawstring pouch around my neck. I wanted to bring back my family's orchard and the memory of the happiness we used to share under those trees... I was a little pissed at Weiss for giving the terms he did for the deal, but I guess he was tired of my lone wolf attitude. It's not like I could help that people didn't like me. I wasn't about to change my beliefs for anyone, and letting some guy control me for the sake of a relationship that wouldn't span more than a few months?

Nope. I'd stick with writing the occasional romance scene in my books. But then again, it could be interesting, if not fun, to see what it was like to let someone know who I was. Sharing my true thoughts and feelings... It was a long shot that anybody, let alone one of the men in this town, could understand and care, but if it would allow me to plant these apple seeds, I'd go along with the idea. I put my headphones on and turned my mp3 player on mix, letting the music strip away my stress and confusion.

The stars glowed with warmth high above the ridge of the mountain. Even in the darkness they were bright and sharp, and though the night was frigid, the snow was a comfort. I was leaning against something warm and shifting... Breath. It was a person. Someone familiar and comforting. Somehow I felt warm, safe, even loved. I turned, but couldn't see the face. Even so, I knew this person was special to me. I felt an odd twinge of amusement at this thought, but only for a moment before the darkness began to smother it.

"Rose Red..." The whisper chilled me, but I didn't know why. It wasn't one I knew...There was a shadow over us now, and the stars began to fade from my sight as redness covered the pure snow in its vivid hue. _What's going on? Who-?_

There was nothing but darkness and pain and the feeling of falling, and a scream that followed me down. _"Rose!"_

I snapped open my eyes to see the sunlight just stretching to the head of my bed, having not realized I'd fallen asleep until now. _"The feeling of belonging to your dreams... Listen to your heart, when he's calling for you, liste-" _ I flicked off the mp3 player, a little weirded out by the lyrics that followed my nightmare. But I guess that's what you dream when you leave a music player full of totally different genres on while you sleep. _That was damned creepy though... _With a shudder at the chill that still hung in the air, I climbed out of bed and threw on my favorite black overalls over a red long-sleeved shirt, lacing up my boots while I tried to get the dream out of my head.

They say that dreams are made of what you think of when you're falling asleep. The stars and people had been on my mind, but I hadn't expected it to feel so real and sappy... _And what was with the weird horror movie feel at the end?_ I must've been listening to the soundtrack from some slasher flick when I drifted off... Whatever, it wasn't important anyway. There was no way THAT was happening to me.

I hustled down the stairs, heading into town to check out the shops. Nothing opened until ten... Since I didn't feel like being in my room and I had time to kill, I decided to head back and visit Weiss' friends. Felicity lived at the inn but worked at the restaurant across the street, so I figured I'd see her first. After asking Hossan about her, I found out that she'd left just before I got back from my walk around the town, and when I looked at my watch, it was already 9:50. Walking around and looking at signs had taken longer than I'd thought...

With a nod to Hossan I crossed to the Chez Clement, hoping to get a word in before the place opened for business. There were only two people there, an older blonde man with a beard, and a girl in an apron. I assumed she was Felicity, so with less hesitation than I thought I'd have I waved to her, walking over to where she stood by the counter. "Er, hi, Felicity? I'm Weiss' cousin, Rose... Uh-"

"Rose? Weiss told me all about you! He did say you were short, too, but it looks like maybe you grew a little since then. Oh! He also said you were a good cook! Maybe as good as Clement! Is that true?"

"Uh..." I blinked and tried to remember if she'd asked any more questions. "Ah, I do cook, sometimes... I guess it beats food from a box, but I don't know how good it is, especially compared to someone like your boss. I doubt Weiss would know the difference between good food and a can of processed sh-" With a fake smile I censored myself again and gave Felicity a shrug, adding, "I just came to say hello, since Weiss told me he was- friends with you."

Felicity's smile dropped a little. "Is that all he told you about me?" I didn't know for sure, but that tone sounded a little disappointed... _Could she be interested in Weiss?_ I pulled her over to a table so Clement wouldn't hear us, explaining, "Well, he said you were close, and that you worked here... Uh, he mentioned a festival." I figured hinting that he might ask her out would let me see how much she liked Weiss. As long as it didn't backfire and make her upset with him for sending me to find out...

"He did? And myself?" Her voice took on an excited tone and the volume of a whisper. "Do you think he was talking about the Starry Night Festival?" I nodded and whispered back like I was gossiping, "I think he might be planning to ask you or something. He did really want me to meet you and approve..." Felicity was grinning and blushing now, and I figured as long as Yuri wasn't the same way about the news, Weiss had his girl.

Clement called from his place behind the counter, "Felicity, we're starting to get customers!" She gave me an apologetic smile and stood from the table, going back to her post as the red faded from her cheeks. "If you like, feel free to eat here."

I was kind of hungry since I'd skipped breakfast, so I asked for a menu. But I actually didn't have more than 2.000 g on me, and spending the only cash I had on food wasn't the best idea... I'd be better off getting some flour and rice and doing some fishing... Though I hate seafood except for crab, eel, and salmon... _Maybe they'll let me ship some fish dishes using that bin. I could earn a little more money and maybe be able to start investing in my own kitchen. For now I'll use Weiss'. _"Some other time I will, thanks," I replied, leaving Chez Clement just as a large group of customers came in.

Trying to find the tailor's shop, I wandered around the town and into the forest, listening to my music on a playlist of nightcored favorites for writing to. 'I'm Not Okay' by My Chem came on, and I chuckled at the heavy sound of the song as I watched the peaceful forest in the morning light.

I'd found these really weird mushrooms that could be used like trampolines, and I was goofing around jumping from place to place when I slipped and fell about ten feet and landed flat on my back. I didn't know where it was, because when my head hit the ground I blacked out. Strangely I was aware of what had happened, even though I was unconscious. This was turning out to be a bad idea... I probably broke my mp3 player too, knowing my luck. My head and back still hurt, but the pain was fading a bit, as was my perception. In a minute or two (really I had no concept of time, it could have been hours) numbness had overtaken the cold and throbbing, and I felt totally peaceful. But that didn't last long.

Now I was lying under the stars, unsure of whether I was awake. The constellations looked familiar, but maybe they were a little off from my memory... The moon was at the wrong state for the scene I was recalling as well. I sat up and looked around, finding myself at a fenced ridge where flowers grew wild and one could see the night sky perfectly. "Rose Red..." _Not again..._ I was not interested in rehashing my creepy dream, especially since this time the chill swept through with no one beside me. The stars were dull, but still left the path with a light. "Rose?" The whisper was taken up by a different voice, coming closer as a whisper, and I felt a hand on my shoulder just before I was jolted from the nightmare.

"Wha-?" I blinked my eyes open to see a figure leaning over me with a hand on my shoulder. Impulsively I grabbed the wrist and twisted it, shoving the arm so the person's unstable position would cause them to fall over. I couldn't see much, but the stars and moon gave me enough light to know that it was a man I didn't recognize. I sat up too quickly and put a hand to my reeling head. "Who are you?" I asked suspiciously, leaning against a large stone that luckily I hadn't landed on. My eyes were getting used to the darkness, though my splitting headache told me to keep them closed.

The person stood up, rubbing his wrist. "That hurt, you know. At my age I can't afford to be injured, especially the right hand in my line of work..."

"Answer the question!" With a laugh he reached a hand out, replying, "I'm Soseki... Sorry if I startled you, but that's a pretty odd place to take a nap, especially so late. I didn't recognize you, so I thought you might be the cousin Weiss said was moving here. Are you alright?"

I shrugged, rubbing the back if my head. "I'm Weiss' cousin, Rose... I kinda fell playing around with the mushroom trampoline things and the ledges... What time is it?"

"It's 1 in the morning. Have you been out long?"

"Since around 1 or 2 in the afternoon I think..." I gave Soseki a suspicious look, asking, "So what are _you_ doing out this late in the forest?" A smile plastered on his face, he ran a hand through his long brown hair, giving a shrug as he laughed, "I'm on a slightly different sleeping schedule from most folks around here. You're not too quick to trust an old man, are you?" With a sigh I raised an eyebrow at Soseki. "You can't be much older than me, but if you keep referring to yourself like that I'll have no choice but to call you Old Man for the duration of my stay." Oddly, this was the most I'd spoken to anyone but Weiss since I arrived, which was kind of sad, considering I was questioning this guy out of suspicion...

_Wait, Soseki's one of the people Weiss told me about... the writer who acts older... _"You're a reporter, right?"

"Journalist~" He said the word with an odd combination of pride and sadness, and I figured from his strange, girly kinagashi (casual kimono) he had moved here from an Eastern city and was probably out of work. "Well, if I need help finding information for my stories, I'll count on you for help, alright?" Even if I didn't know this person, like with Felicity, I wanted him to be optimistic. He had writing to look forward to even in unemployment, and she had an invitation from Weiss...

"Thank you," Soseki laughed, still smiling. "Do you need some help getting back home? I'm not the strongest around, but I can give you a hand if you've got a ways to go. It's not my curfew yet~" With a sigh and a grateful smile I finally took the hand he'd been extending, mumbling, "Sorry..."

"No need for that, young Rose Bud," he chuckled, holding my shoulder steady as I stood up. "Watch it, Old Man," I fired back. As soon I was stable I let go of his hand, taking a couple of steps as he picked something up from the ground. The mp3 player was still in one piece, and he put an earbud in to see if it was working. With a laugh he plucked out the headphone and tossed the player back to me. "So you listen to that kind of music? I wouldn't have guessed."

Frowning I put in the headphone he hadn't used and glared at Soseki. My nightcore of 'Hey Juliet' was playing, one of the few cutesy songs I allowed on the playlist. "I don't like the genre, I like the music..." I stomped on ahead of Soseki, letting the music alleviate my headache, then stopped in my tracks and turned to him. "Oi, Old Man... Which way is it to the inn...?"

Twenty minutes later I left Soseki outside of the inn to return home, groggily climbing the stairs to my room. It was odd how tired I was after being unconscious for 12 hours, but go figure. Hoping I wouldn't sleep in, I hung my overalls on the desk chair and climbed into bed, grateful for the covers Weiss had made. _Tomorrow I'll go see Yuri, check out the animal shop, and do some fishing..._

((( Icefeather and my other commenters~ Well, I think there are far too many Neil x OC fics as well. I was thinking of having Rose end up the sister of either Neil (After the comments I found out they act way alike) or Allen (They look pretty alike) since she was adopted by her parents, which would eliminate the least likely bachelor, but maybe you guys can pick who's her brother and who ends up a friend or enemy ;)

Sanjay and Amir may join Rod and Soseki in the running for Rose's forced date, but the way I wrote the story was using where I am in the game (I got it about 2 weeks ago and haven't unlocked those 2, so I really don't know their personalities. Anyone with info is welcome to message me :D

Or if you guys want to tell me your ideas for pairings (OC x Bachelor(ette) or bachelor x bachelorette, just drop a comment on any chapter and I'll consider the input~ ;) Also, the story's going to get a little darker, so if anybody wants to pick a character to get involved in that, just ask as well~)))


	4. Crepes and Insomnia

"Rose Red..." _Dammit, not again..._ _This shouldn't be a recurring dream. It couldn't... _

This time, there was a presence beside me. It wasn't the same as the first time, though. It was... Weiss? This time I could see his face. He was sitting on that ridge, beside another figure. The black shadow descended, and Weiss turned to face it. I tried to do the same, but my body wouldn't move. Once again the snow was stained with red, and the screams filled my ears with terror and pain. "Stop..." I clasped my hands over my ears, but the sound couldn't be drowned out. The cold stung my cheeks as tears streaked down toward the snow, and my chest ached as a smothering darkness covered me. It became impossible to breathe, and the screams echoed in my head as the world faded. One last voice joined the ghostly echoes, whispering as it had every time... but the words had changed.

"Red... For my Rose Red..."

I gasped for breath as I broke from the dream, finding myself lying on my side and wrapped in the covers. Disentangling myself, I let my breaths come slowly, trying to slow my heart-rate from its panicked rhythm. The room was chilly in the Winter morning, and I realized when I laid back down that my pillow was damp. The tears from the dream had been real... Feeling ridiculous about the nightmare, I flipped the pillow over and flopped down onto it, hating the emotion it left me with. _Feelings suck._

I rolled over and glanced at my watch. It was only seven in the morning, and I didn't feel like wandering around again, but I couldn't dawdle in bed much longer. With a slow sigh I brushed aside the comforter and rolled out of bed. _I could visit Weiss and see that alpaca... _I was unnerved. Every night since I was a child, I'd always had different dreams. A lot of times they would predict future events, or be rehashings of things that had already happened. When mom and dad died I stopped dreaming for a month. The darkness of dreamlessness was not a comfort, but after what my last dream had been I would have welcomed it like an old friend...

Taking a deep breath, I cleared my mind and took up my white collared shirt, wearing it under a green vest that I'd cleaned last in apple-scented soap. The faint scent was calming as I threw on a pair of black pants and my combat boots, and I let my thoughts be of my visit, and the animals. That was how I'd always dealt with discomfort. If something was frightening, troublesome, or frustrating, it was buried beneath my love for animals and a load of work I'd tackle as though it were the thought. As a child I could have gone to my parents, but they didn't need to be troubled with my silly problems, so I'd take up extra chores and let them get more sleep while I worked away my stress. It had always worked. As long as I could get to Weiss' place before he finished his work, I should've been able to take care of the nagging thoughts.

It was a quiet walk to Snow Farm and I figured everyone was either sleeping or having breakfast, so I decided against dropping in on Dunhill on the way. Once again my thoughts turned to the orchard as I walked under the wooden arch that announced the farm's name. Weiss was trying to play matchmaker with me, but I wasn't about to get attached to some guy I didn't know anything about. He should have known better. I've been avoiding love my whole life. I'd just go to that festival with the man I was most likely to become friends with, and we could sit there and look at the stars and go home no different from before. Then I could start replanting the orchard without any distractions. Once the trees sprouted here, I'd build a house where there was open space... That meant I'd be living here permanently. If this town became my home, would I be able to continue my life in solitude?

Of course I would... There was a feeling of hollowness in my gut, and I realized after a moment that it wasn't brought on by emotion. I hadn't eaten anything since coffee and cake with Dunhill two days before... _How the heck did I forget to eat for that long? I feel like an idiot. _With a blank expression and a growling stomach I knocked at Weiss' door, giving a sigh at my forgetfulness. After a few moments he opened it, gesturing to his table. "Come on in, Red."

He gave me one glance and pointed at the chair across from his. "Forgot to eat again, didn't you?" There was a plate stacked a foot high with crepes, and even though it looked like he'd been cooking out of nerves again, this time the kitchen had been scrubbed down. My stomach growled at the buttery smell, but I didn't want to seem hopelessly forgetful, so I grumbled, "No..."

His raised eyebrow told me I wasn't the best liar about things like that, and I crossed my arms, sighing, "I came to do some work." Weiss shook his head, brown eyes showing his disbelief. "Eat, now. Then MAYBE I've got some extra chores you can do." I gave him a grateful nod and tossed a couple crepes on a paper plate before sitting down. A moment later I stared at the one in my hand, surprised at the first bite. "Your girlfriend been teaching you to cook? These're edible, and even though they're a little pancakey, they're actually pretty good." His cheeks reddened, and I decided that was enough teasing for the moment. "Ya know, Felicity seemed really excited when I mentioned that star festival thing."

His white hair and pale complexion made his blushing even more drastic, and he coughed, "Er, that's..." With a nervous laugh, he tried to change the subject. "So, why do you want to work here?" Typical. Weiss had always been the fun one, but he also had a range of emotions I couldn't grasp, and he was easily embarrassed. "Sleep troubles," I muttered with half a crepe hanging out of my mouth in hopes that I wouldn't have to elaborate. He'd never let me live it down if he knew I was creeped out by a stupid dream.

"Are you having the dreams again?" I almost choked on my pancake-crepe. I put a hand over my mouth when I started coughing, shaking my head. "Th-rnt... real..." Weiss gave me his least convinced look, arguing, "Of course they're real. You have premonitions. You experience things in dreams before they happen, and they're always right." He reached a hand over to pat me on the back as my coughing subsided.

I slapped his hand away. "NOT THIS TIME!" I blinked as Weiss drew back, trying to get my heart to slow down to a normal rate and looking down at the floor. "It's not real this time. It can't be, okay?"

I'd had dreams before where terrible things happened. A dog was struck by a carriage, but I didn't know where. A woman had a heart attack after forgetting her medication, and I couldn't help her. I'd never been able to change what happened. The dreams were always the future. It would play out over and over in my mind, changing itself to keep me off guard, but it always ended up happening the way the first dream decided. This wasn't like the other dreams. It wasn't going to happen. I wouldn't let it. Not to Weiss, and not to whoever was there in dream one. I would never go to that ridge where the flowers grew, I would avoid those star patterns, and I wouldn't become close to anyone...

I found myself stuck in one of Weiss' too-tight hugs when I returned to conscious thought, and grumbled, "Leggo." He relinquished me after a few seconds, snapping, "This is why I challenged you! You're always alone. You go through all your problems by yourself, and you never let anyone know what you're going through. I'm tired of seeing you suffer, Red."

"It's not suffering... They're just dreams." Denying it was how I usually got people to stop asking questions, but this was Weiss. He gave me a stern frown, asking, "What happened?" I shrugged. "Nothing..." Weiss put a hand on my shoulder, and I cringed, remembering the dream's transition right before I met Soseki. "You can tell me."

"You died, okay!?" I stood quickly, knocking over the chair, and shoved him away, not wanting him to know any more about the premonition. "Never mind about the chores... I'll find something myself..." I ran off, slamming the door behind me and hoping Weiss would dismiss my words. I knew he wouldn't: He'd seen one of my dreams in action...

I felt stupid for getting sidetracked by a stupid dream that was never going to happen. It was just so... stupid... This town was a place of peace, focused on farming, shops, and the villagers. From then on I decided I'd totally ignore it and start getting work done.

Since Weiss wasn't following yet, I slipped into the barn and sank to the floor beside the wall, letting Bean the alpaca approach me. Petting her soft wool, I was easily calmed enough to mumble, "Thanks, Bean..." Her eyes were kind, and though she couldn't possibly know what was wrong, she seemed determined to fix it. I gave her a couple of treats and made my rounds, petting each animal so none felt less cared for and slipping them extra treats. "I'll be back tomorrow, guys..." Checking that Weiss was nowhere in sight, I snuck back out and jogged out into the town, feeling bettter already.

I didn't feel like talking to anyone, so I headed to the river, remembering the stock of fishing traps Dunhill had told me he'd leave for public use. Kneeling on a boulder that sat just right in the water, I set out a trap. I'd been told I could catch eel at that spot, and since it was both a good profit and one of the few seafood items I'd eat, I figured shooting for eel was my best bet. I sat for about half an hour, listening to another playlist on my mp3, before the trap started to shake in the water. With a genuine smile I opened the top, dropping the smile at the sight of a branch that had somehow drifted into the trap. Yanking the stick out of the box, I set it aside, figuring somebody could use it. A stack of branches, six traps, three fish, and an old coin later, I was sprawled on the grass, awaiting my next catch with a sigh. A shadow fell over my face, and I opened an eye to see an angry-looking blonde guy frowning at me. "Do you have business here?"

With an annoyed frown I took out my earbuds. I pointed at the trap I'd set, firing back, "I'm fishing. Why?" He still didn't seem convinced that I was there for a good reason, and I guessed who he was from his attude. "You're Neil then? Don't you have a shop to open in an hour or so? I saw his cart behind him, and noticed that my pile of sticks was blocking his horse's way. Neil gave a snicker, replying, "I just closed my shop... Lose track of time catching all those sticks?"

"Hey, I was gonna volunteer to move them, but now you can do it yourself, Blondie!" It was already past six? I'd been pretty out of it all day, and i guess the time it took to get these catches in the trap was enough to waste an afternoon.

Another guy came forward from the second cart. His hair was a little darker and spiky, and he had blue eyes. "Everything alright Neil?" he asked, looking at the other shop owner and then at me. "Oh, hi! You must be Red... No, Rose, right? Weiss said you were coming to live here!" He grinned and added, "He described you pretty accurately, too. Although he did say you were really grumpy and secretive and he calls you by your middle name. I'm Rod, by the way. Nice to meet you."

"Uh, you too," I replied, studying the two of them. Weiss had been right about their polar opposite attitudes. I smirked as Neil started moving my pile of branches out of the way of his cart, calling, "I'll help if you ask nicely." His face said there was no way in hell, so I shrugged and gave Rod a smile. "You sell pets, right?"

"Yup! Mine are the cutest pets you can get." He gave a proud grin and glanced at Neil before adding, "He sells livestock. If you get to know him he can be less gruff, but as long as you take care of your animals you shouldn't have a problem."

I nodded, watching Neil finally leave with Rod following before turning back to my fish-trap, which had been full for who knows how long. Expecting to finally get some eel, I opened the lid, dropping my shoulders at the sight of more old coins. "How do those even set it off? It's ridiculous." With a sigh I stood, putting the fish in a bag for shipping and tucking the coins in my pocket. Looking back at the pile of sticks, I decided I might as well take them to Weiss' storage shed. I'd go back and chop the pieces into lumber sometime when I felt like talking to him.

I dropped off the fish and branches without incident and then decided I was feeling well enough to make a few visits around town. At Hana's house I declined a bowl of fish stew and listened to a story about Kosaburo in his youth before taking my leave with a promise to visit the shop the next day.

There was a similar house in the Eastern style next door to Hana's, but I decided to visit Emma across the street first, since I'd met her once before. I knocked at the door and prepared to be dragged into the house by the apple-loving woman who'd been so impressed with our family's orchard that she'd made us an apple pie fresh every day during our stay in exchange for a few extra apples. I wasn't wrong about her enthusiasm, but before pulling me in to the house that forever smelled of apples and spice, she took a moment to study me and gave a determined nod. "Not much to work with, but we can do it. Yuri~ That visitor is here. Go fetch your tape measure. I'll call Allen!"

_Oh dear Goddess... _


	5. Springtime and a Kimono

I was whisked into the building by Emma, who handed me over to her daughter before disappearing, presumably to get Allen... I'd forgotten about this, but every time I'd seen Emma she'd begged me to let her do something with my hair and clothes. Now that I was living in town, I couldn't avoid her, or apparently her daughter, whom I'd never met. Though I guess I could finally scope Yuri out for Weiss. "Hi," I sighed as she took my measurements, "I'm Rose..."

"Yuri," she replied, marking down numbers on a pad of paper. "Mother's... been planning this." I should have guessed she wouldn't give up. Given my hatred of uncomfortable clothing, I wasn't exactly thrilled by my capture. "So, what're we talkin'? Pants, or a skirt?" Yuri gave an amused smile, shaking her head. "Komon..." I frowned in confusion, asking, "Ko-what?"

"Komon... a patterned kimono." _A kimono?! No way! _"Uh, I'm kinda against things that look ridiculous, so-" She gave me a sharp look, and I figured I might as well let her do her job. There was no escape once Emma set her sights on you. "Mother guessed your measurements almost correctly. She was three inches too high on the waistline though, and a little off on the bicep... It should fit anyway."

_Gee, thanks Emma... _"What should fit?" Yuri raised an eyebrow at me and sighed, "The Komon. Weren't you listening?"

"Yeah, but... Wait, you already made it? I don't even get to pick a pattern?"

"Mom picked one out. Then she saw reason and changed it." I blinked and swallowed, wondering what they'd chosen. "What did she change it from?" The girl took a box from the lower half of her bookshelf, opening it and taking out a cloth covered with red and green apple prints. "This..." With a nod, I gave Yuri a grateful smile. "I'm glad she changed her mind..." Then she took out a red kimono patterned with roses and a matching obi belt. "Here's your Komon..."

_It could be worse... _With a nod of thanks I took the kimono, intending to take it home before Emma returned with the hairstylist. "Try it on..." Yuri pointed out the bathroom, and I shuffled to it, trying not to picture Allen's stupid self-satisfied face when he found out I was being forced to utilize his 'skill.' I'd gotten the komon on correctly, but the belt was a pain to tie, so I carried it out to the living room, holding it up hopelessly. "How do I do this?"

As Yuri was finishing the knot on the obi, Emma floated back into the house, tugging an unamused Allen along. "My shop is closed for the day, Emma. I don't see what the problem i-" I felt my face heating up under the hairstylist's scrutinizing gaze, and after about five seconds of staring back, I spat, "What?!"

"Well, the Komon is a definite improval on those hideously gender-ambiguous overalls, but your hair is still matted and full of debris. I'm afraid there's nothing I can do in this setting. You'll have to come with me." Calmly he took my wrist and started dragging me along, bidding Emma and Yuri a good night. "I'll take it from here."

"Wait a sec! You don't get to tell me what to do! I don't want a haircut, and I don't want you touching me." I tried to bite at his wrist or walk in the opposite direction as he headed back to his shop, but his grip was surprisingly strong, and I didn't feel like falling on my face in the snow trying to squirm out of his grasp. It didn't take a genius to sense my hostility, and Allen quickly muttered, "Look, I don't want anything to do with you either, but if you won't take care of your hair, it's my business to fix it. Hair is an image that represents who you are, and right now you seem like a slob. When's the last time you showered?" After a moment of indignation at the personal question, I defiantly stated, "The day before I arrived here!" I felt the shudder he gave and chuckled in amusement, though the laugh died as he continued his lecture. "That's three days too many, Rose... You're hopeless, and at this rate you'll be beyond my help by Spring. A wash, a trim, and I'm done, okay?"

"Fine..." I was reluctant even to grumble the word, but there wasn't much else I could do since we were already at the door of the salon. After being dragged in and forced to sit, I crossed my arms and spun my chair with my feet, ignoring the critiques Allen shot at me as he assembled his potions. "Face the wall and lean your head back into the sink." I begrudgingly did as I was told, and closed my eyes to keep from glaring at the man who'd be in control of my hair's 'image.' After a comb-through that made Allen curse twice, he was finally able to start the wash. I felt warm water and at least two latherings before I dozed off in the chair, wishing he'd hurry up so I could go eat something. He can't blame me; I'm somewhat narcoleptic, and the washing was pretty boring. He'd probably call it a soothing scrub or something lame like that.

This time it was day, and it seemed like I was finally having a normal dream. I guess I'd been walking around. There was mud on my shoes, and it took me a moment to realize it was no longer Winter. A white alpaca I didn't recognize was walking beside me, and it looked like we were headed for Weiss' farm, so I figured I was dreaming about the orchard. I looked down at myself and found that I was wearing a favorite pair of red overalls, grey boots, and a silver ring with a garnet stone on my right hand, but not my necklace... _I must have planted the seeds already... _With a smile I tugged at the alpaca's rein, steering her toward the farm's entrance, where in place of the old arch sat one made of mahogany. Just as I passed the material shed, my name was called, and for once the world began to fade too soon.

"Rose... Would you wake up, Rose!?" I squinted at the redhead who'd woken me, mumbling, "Whattaya want?"

"It took skill to layer such short hair, so be grateful." _It what? _"Take a look." Allen twirled the chair around with a proud smirk and a flourish, and I gave him a frown before looking in the mirror. "Sure, when I do it it's immature..." _What did he do?! _My hair was clean, shining, looked healthy, and about half an inch shorter. "You cut off the black tips! I did those myself!"

"Which is why they had to go. Two-tone is made for hair with enough length for both colors. I can dye all of it black if you want, but it's much cuter red."

"My hair is NOT cute!" I snapped, giving Allen my unamused glare. "Well, it wasn't before," he gloated, "But with my talent it's become rather pleasing to the eye." Not wanting to hear another speech, I tugged off the protective smock and hopped out of the chair, glancing back at the hairstylist. "Thanks... Am I done here?"

"If you don't start taking care of yourself you'll make my work look bad, so you better not screw up."

"I'll take that as a yes~!" I walked out without hesitation, ready to get some food, then remembered that Weiss had the rice I was going to use and I hadn't caught any eel or crab. "I'll catch one, sneak in and cook it, and head home to eat before he realizes I'm there." Figuring he was asleep by now, I stopped at the river, checking my traps, but of course there was one fish, and the other two were broken and full of coins and branches. I figured I'd put a coin in my drawstring pouch, and reached for the bag that should have been around my neck. Nothing was there...

It was impossible! I'd been wearing the necklace for nearly a year, and the only time I ever took it off was when I intended to shower or swim... and I'd done neither of those since I'd arrived. I should have felt that the weight wasn't there, at least! There was no way I could lose such an important thing! Panicked, I raced over to the inn, turning my room upside down in a search for the red velvet bag. Despite the spilling of the contents of my drawers, the inspection of the space between my wall and bed, and a thorough pat down of the blankets, it was nowhere to be found. _Guess I'm not eating tonight, _I resolved, jogging down the stairs to retrace my steps.

I knew it wasn't in Allen's salon... that dream had warned me that the bag was missing, and stupidly I hadn't noticed that it was gone already. The most likely place was Emma's house, since I'd changed my clothes there, but I couldn't even be sure of when I'd lost it. When was the last time I'd held it? Did I even have it when I woke up this morning? Could something so important vanish, or had someone taken it?

((Hey guys :D Just wanted to add in a little more reader-involvement. I want you guys to vote on who finds/has the necklace for the next chapter or two~ It can be:

Allen: finds it

Felicity: finds it

Iroha: finds it

Hana: has it

Weiss: has it

Rod: has it

Neil: has it/finds it

Yuri: has it/finds it

Emma: has it/finds it

Soseki: has it/finds it))


	6. A Fall and a Falling Out

It was pitch dark out as I knocked anxiously at Emma's door, shifting my weight from foot to foot as I waited for a response. The stars were dim in the sky as fog painted a veil over the landscape. If I hadn't been so preoccupied with my search, I'd have fetched my camera and taken a picture. I tapped the door again with my knuckles, hoping someone was awake to hear it. A groggy Yuri answered the knock, opening the door just enough to peer out and ask, "What's the matter, Red?"

"Have you seen a bag? Small drawstring, it's made of a red velvet material, and there are seeds inside it. It's attached to a string necklace..." The girl shook her head, and I noticed she wasn't wearing her glasses. _I probably woke her... Maybe I should stick to looking on my own until morning. I can't just wake everyone up around midnight to ask about it. _"I haven't seen it," she admitted, "But if I do, I'll bring it to you." With an apologetic smile and a grateful nod I wished Yuri a good night and turned to go, thinking. I did know at least two people who wouldn't be in bed at this hour...

"Hey, Weiss! Open up, it's important!" I really didn't feel like asking for his help after I'd yelled at him earlier, but if he'd seen the pouch, I needed to know. The door swung open, and Weiss raised an eyebrow at me from beside it. "What are you doing running around at this time of night, Red? Isn't it a bit late for dropping in to chat? And why are you wearing a komon?" Red... Yuri had called me Red. That meant she was probably close to Weiss... It was too bad I'd forgotten to ask Yuri about the festival, but then again, it wasn't my job to make his decisions. "I didn't pick the kimono, so don't ask me. Look, Felicity and Yuri are both nice girls, but you need to decide which one you have feelings for, not send your cousin to see which one likes you."

Weiss stared at me, sighing, "Is that why you came here? To tell me to pick one? Look, I get if you're mad at me and don't want anything to do with my love-life, but-" I shook my head, interrupting him before he could start lecturing me on my apathy. "No, seriously, that's what I think about it... I don't care about earlier, okay? I can't find my apple seeds! That's why I'm here. The whole situation was just on my mind." Again Weiss was staring, but this time his expression was one of shock and sympathy. "I'm sorry... I know how important they are to you. Where did you last have them?"

I gave an aggravated shrug, sighing, "I don't have a clue. I wasn't paying attention to it, and I don't even remember when I last saw it." Weiss let me in and sat down at the dining table, giving me the seat I'd taken at breakfast. I noticed that the kitchen was a mess now, and his refrigerator was ajar, the light spilling into a pool on the floor... unless that was more crepe batter spilling... "You've been cooking again?" He shrugged, mumbling, "I finished my chores this morning, and had plenty of foraged goods, so I decided to stay in and do some cooking..."

"Nerves, or trying to make something those two like?" My cousin's face was taking on that all-too-familiar pink hue, and he didn't say anything. "You know, you could just ask them to teach you," I teased, enjoying his embarrassed discomfort until he cleared his throat and deftly changed the subject. "Shouldn't we be looking for your necklace?" I gave him a frown, but I admit he had a point. My making light of it by teasing him wasn't going to find me my bag. "Alright, where do you suggest we look?"

Weiss frowned, thinking aloud. "Well, I guess it could be anywhere you've gone. I'll search the farm for it, check the barn and coop, and in the morning if we haven't found it I'll ask Dunhill to put up a notice. You should go everywhere in town that you've been between arriving and now. But don't check people's houses tonight. Everyone's asleep at this hour."

I frowned and sighed, "Fine, fine. I'll see you later then." I headed back into town as my cousin inspected his material shed and the area around his barn. It could be in one of a few houses, but then again it could be by the river where I'd been fishing. I'd check with the old man first, but the river would be my first search area.

"Oi, Old Man, you awake?" The door opened pretty quickly, and Soseki looked wide awake as he smiled. "Well well, if it isn't Rose Bud the night owl. To what does this old man owe the visit?" I couldn't help but smile as I shook my head, answering, "A search. But if you're really so old and frail, maybe I should let you get your rest." Soseki crossed his arms, sighing, "You're just no fun, are you? Though that's a pretty great komon." I looked down at myself, wondering if everyone but me knew what this thing was called. He grinned, adding "You decided my fashion sense is the way to go?"

"Just come with me," I mumbled, walking toward the river area. I wasn't really in the mood for joking, as much as it helped me forget my anxiety. I looked back to see him slip on a pair of sandals and close the door behind him. "I lost something important. It's a red velvet bag on a string necklace... Yuri and Weiss haven't seen it, and he's looking for it on the farm right now. I figured I'd ask for your help..." I felt my cheeks grow warm, and countered the awkwardness of asking someone to help me with a deep frown. "I was thinking you could help me check out the river and where you found me before, since I could have dropped it when I fell yesterday. So d'you think you're up for it, Old Man?" I looked back at him again, making sure he noticed the frown.

Soseki smiled again, giving a shrug. "Sounds like you could use a hand, and I've got one to spare. But let me ask you something: How did you know I'd be awake?" I turned around and started walking backward, pointing at him as I answered, "You said it wasn't your curfew before... I figured you were up late every night. If you're working on an article, you can go finish it, but as far as I know you and my cousin are the only people who would be awake."

"I see. That makes sense," he replied, glancing at the entrance to Snow Farm as we passed it. "Will Weiss be accompanying us to keep an eye on his little cousin, or does he let you wander around this late?" I gave him a glare, grumbling, "I'm older than him..." Then I ignored the look of surprise on Soseki's face as he asked, "By how long?"

"Two seasons," Weiss interjected, approaching us with a frown. "I turn twenty five next Summer. Her birthday's on the sixteenth of this season. What are you doing out, Soseki?" The journalist smiled and shrugged, replying, "Rose Bud is looking for something, so I said I'd lend a hand." Weiss shook his head. "We can handle the search. Red shouldn't have bothered you." Soseki crossed his arms, not looking happy with the dismissal of his aid. "I volunteered to go along. Would you rather I let her go running around in the dark and hurt herself again?"

"Again?" I stared at the ground, trying to ignore Weiss' questioning look. When I refused to speak, he turned his frown on Soseki. "What do you mean, again?" The journalist glanced at me, obviously surprised that I hadn't told Weiss about the mushroom incident. Why would I have? He'd just lecture me... "She took a tumble from one of the bouncing mushrooms yesterday and conked her head. I found her and walked her home. It was nothing huge..." Now he was almost trying to cover for me. I gave Soseki a grateful smile, but my cousin yanked me aside for a lecture anyway. "What were you doing fooling around in the forest? Were you _trying _to injure yourself? And what are you and Soseki best friends now or something? How could you not tell me what happened?"

I heaved a sigh and frowned at Weiss. "I'm not hurt," I snapped, "I didn't think this was like when we were kids and I had to tell you every time I scraped my knee so mom and dad would find out and get me a bandaid... And I'm not best friends with this guy. I barely even know him." Weiss shook his head, and his voice took on a cautious tone. "Look, Soseki is one of the few people in town I'm not friends with. I know close to nothing about him. He just moved here a week before you. I'm not saying you aren't allowed to talk to him, but I would have liked to know that you intended to ask for his help. I feel really awkward working with him, since you apparently know him and I look like the suspicious, overprotective relative."

"You ARE the suspicious, overprotective relative." Weiss gave a sigh at my blank expression and flat tone, but he added one last thing before turning back to Soseki. "The guy helped you out, and you came to him today... You're friends." I shook my head, prepared to deny a friendship until Soseki chimed in with, "Are we looking for a bag or having a family crisis?" My cousin and I both grumbled, "Looking," giving each other a frown before heading to the river. I wanted to lead the way, but that would leave Weiss and Soseki behind me to talk to each other. Considering their last conversation, it didn't seem like a good idea, so I let Weiss walk ahead.

As we crossed into the grassy area of the riverbank, I glanced at Weiss, whispering to Soseki, "If that ever happens again, Weiss is not to know. He's the master of annoying lectures." With a laugh, the journalist replied, "Got it. So, what's so important about this bag?" My frown returned, and I mumbled, "Nothing, I just need it." He looked bothered that I wouldn't tell him about the necklace, but nobody needed to know about the orchard. He'd see me as some sappy idealist chasing a lame dream. Not that it mattered to me how that old man saw me. I ignored Weiss' warnings about the rocks being slippery and knelt on the snow dusted stones by my fishing spot, checking the area near the trap for any hint of the red fabric.

When I didn't find anything, I frowned and headed to the spot I used less often, digging around in the snow until my fingers turned red with cold. I sighed and inched onto the rocks on my knees, finding it troublesome to move in the kimono. As I picked up the trap to examine its contents, I felt a breath brush the back of my neck. "Boo!"

I didn't mean to jump. And if I'd cleaned the snow from the stone, it wouldn't have caused me to slip. But as it were, I did, and I hadn't, and two seconds later I found myself plunging face-first into the water. It was freezing, the stupid komon was heavy with water, and I was already pissed at Weiss for startling me. As I tried to right myself, a pair of hands hooked under my arms and dragged me up, coughing and freezing, from the water.

"What the hell w-were you think-king, Wei-" I looked down before I finished the sentence, staring at the sandals that were getting soaked as my kimono drained onto Soseki's feet. "P-put me down!" I sneezed twice and cursed at him three times before he set me down on solid ground, giving me a sheepish smile. "I only meant to startle you a little... Are you alright?" Weiss, who I guess had heard the splash, came running from the other side of the river, already in panic-mode. "What happened? Red, you're soaked! If you'd been careful-"

"It's my fault." Soseki's calm frown and Weiss' glare were directed at each other now, but I didn't really feel relieved that my cousin wasn't yelling at me. "What was that?" Soseki crossed his arms, pointing at me. "I accidentally startled Rose Bud and knocked her into the water. If she catches a cold it's my fault. Don't chalk everything up to her carelessness. I'll let her borrow some of my dry clothes." With a poorly-timed sneeze, I added, "I'm fine, Weiss." My cousin shook his head, and I didn't like the frown he was giving my fr- acquaintance... "Go home, Soseki. Rose is none of your concern."

"Excuse me?" Weiss glared at Soseki, snapping, "Both times she's been in trouble, you've been involved. Stay away from my cousin." I watched the journalist shake his head and walk away before looking at Weiss. "You're an ass, Weiss." I decided to stomp off in my sloshing boots before I punched him. _What business is it of his to say any of that!? He pisses me off sometimes..._

Distracted by my thoughts, I didn't notice the man I was about to run into as I passed Hana's store. "Woah!" I stopped at the shout, looking up at a man I didn't recognize. He had long raven hair and narrow green eyes, and he was pretty pale. "Sorry miss, I wasn't paying attention. I just arrived, and I'll be staying at the inn here, but I'm having trouble finding it..." I motioned for the guy to follow, heading past Soseki's house with a single glance back. "I'm staying there too. It's just over here."

"Are you alright? You look soaking wet..." I gave the new villager a smile and a nod. "I'm fine, I just took a swim." He didn't look fully convinced, but as we reached the inn he put his bag over his shoulder, giving a bow. "I'm Grimm. It's nice to meet, you, miss...?"

"Rose," I answered, opening the door for him. "Rose Red." When we reached the top of the stairs, I found out he was to be in the room across from mine. Grimm gave one last bow. "Goodnight, Rose Red," he said, heading into his quarters. "Goodnight..." I sighed and went into my room, deciding to sleep for the night. I wasn't too tired to take off the wet komon, and I changed into a dry nightgown, one of two I'd been given by my mother, and laid down to rest, only straightening the room a little from my earlier search. Just before I fell asleep, I wondered whether I'd met Grimm before. He seemed somehow familiar... But i was still out of sorts from what had happened with Weiss, so I probably imagined it.

Great, now I had to become friends with people, and get Weiss to be friends with Soseki. I really had my work cut out for me...


	7. Ideas and Suspicions

An odd realization accompanied my stretch as I awoke on the fifth of Winter; I hadn't dreamed. I'd spent the entire night in the dark embrace of silence and my own thought. It was comforting to go a night without a development in my series of nightmares, but I couldn't help but feel regret that it was already time to get up. I'd managed to forget about the necklace, the deal, and my new problem while I'd slept. I decided a hot shower was a good idea, and headed downstairs to request the bathroom, shuffling down the steps in my long nightgown.

Hossan greeted me in the lobby, handing me a plastic bag. "Emma's daughter dropped this off. Said you forgot it at her place. The shower's yours until ten." I took the bag gratefully and ran up to my room, emptying it onto the bed. My necklace wasn't there, but she'd patched up the clothes I'd left when I'd put on the komon that was still drying out. I folded up the overalls and stuffed them in my dresser, taking a small pad of paper from the bed as I tossed the shirt onto the stack of clothes that had become my laundry pile. I made a note to thank Yuri later and checked that I had everything I needed in my pack; _Paper, pencil, mp3 player, money... _

I set my backpack on the bathroom floor and took a quick shower, swearing that Allen's words had nothing to do with my decision as I lathered up the blood red hair that now just fell to my neck. The hairstylist had left my bangs long, and I ended up having to wash shampoo out of my eyes a few times after they flopped back onto my forehead mid-wash. Wrapped in a white towel, I studied myself in the foggy mirror. I didn't look like an insomniac or a reckless mess.

With a sigh of relief I got dressed and tossed my dirty clothes in the hamper. As I threw on an insulated vest over my long-sleeved shirt and jeans, thoughts piled up in a mesh of annoyance and worry. How was I supposed to get any writing done while I spent my time fretting over the problems that seemed to wait for the most inopportune moments to arise? It took me about five minutes of thought to decide that I'd go to the forest and find my satchel before worrying about the Weiss and Soseki issue. Once I had my apple seeds, I'd be able to focus more on people... Well, a little more.

It was ten in the morning when I rubbed my eyes and headed into town, having decided to eat breakfast before resuming the search. This time I'd go on my own, and since the river had been searched already, I was confident I could cover the forest and mountain by nightfall. Clement greeted me with a smile at the counter, and I noticed that Felicity wasn't at her post. "Good morning, Clement... Is Felicity not coming in today?" The blonde chef gave a laugh, replying, "I thought you'd know. She's taken the morning off to visit your cousin. I think she mentioned that she'd be back after lunch, if you want to swing by and see her later. Is there anything you'd like? I'm afraid we don't have a separate breakfast menu, but we do serve pancakes if you're interested."

I smiled at Clement and scanned the menu. "I think I'll just take a gratin. I may not get back until later this evening." As he walked into the kitchen, he asked, "From where? Already going on a trip out of town?" With a laugh I shook my head. "Not by a long shot. I'm heading to the forest to do some foraging. I need some income so I can afford to eat here more often. If I find anything interesting, I'll bring it over. I hear there are plenty of herbs and things up there." I sat to wait for my meal and took out the notepad I normally carried with me, scribbling down a few key words I tended to use for inspiration. Since gratin would take a while to cook, I turned on my mp3 player, listening to my writing playlist as I pondered my new project.

After the success of my mystery novel series and my book of altered fairy tales, I'd been commissioned by a publisher to write a romance novel. Due to my background in farming, I had been asked to make the main character a farmhand. The company's idea of a perfect heroine was a naeve teen who needs love and support from a strong male lead and is characterized by her beauty and her tendency to land herself in trouble. Needless to say I refused to take the project unless they let me throw out that sickening formula and come up with a story of my own. _The heroine would be a farmer, but she had to leave her home after something... a drought, made her land infertile. _I wrote out the plan as I went, surprised I hadn't thought of any of this before.

_Her name was Clover. She and her brother, Silbern, moved to a new village called... Reverb Town. As for the townspeople, there was a kindly mayor, as well as a cast of strange villagers. A narcissistic resort owner, a softspoken artist, a pair of twins with opposite personalities, a flower enthusiast, a carpenter, and a gossip columnist. _It was crazy how many ideas I had now. Maybe I'd needed the sleep, but whatever the cause, I liked the result so far. _Clover would be a strong and independent heroine with a touch of human weakness and a lack of social skills. But what kind of suitor could she find herself falling for?_ Looking over the characters so far, I decided I needed to tailor a love interest specifically to her ramifications. The resort owner would obviously end up an enemy, though I could see him taking an interest in her odd behavior. There needed to be something that forced her to think about love. Perhaps they'd hold a bet, since both had personality flaws. Maybe she'd become friends with one of the twins, but I don't think with her character she'd like either polar opposite. _Clover needs a love interest who could challenge her. Someone who wouldn't pry into her issues, but would be there to lend a hand and joke around. _Someone like...

"The gratin is ready, Rose. If you clear the table I'll bring it over." My cheeks growing warm, I looked up, taking my belongings from the table, turning off the mp3 player and stowing it in my bag. I'd been so lost in thought I'd forgotten where I was. Until it was drafted, I didn't need any of the townsfolk seeing that I was writing cheesy romantic junk, so I stuffed the notepad in my backpack. I'd figure out the suitor issue once I'd found my necklace. For some reason this book was beginning to feel like less of a chore and more of an opportunity to develop interesting characters. The gratin was a little larger than I'd expected, and when I gave Clement my payment he gave me extra change. At my objection he laughed, "I can't have you too broke to eat here, now can I? I'll consider those ingredients from the forest payment enough."

With a grateful but embarrassed smile, I picked up my fork, stabbing into the dish and digging out a steaming bite. I knew it was too hot, but I blew on the forkful and frowned at it, daring the onion to burn my mouth. The cheese was soft and salty, and the vegetables gave the dish a pleasing texture. After swallowing the first bite I looked at Clement, who stood in the kitchen, making an omelet rice for the next customer. It was obvious how much he cared for food and the people who ate his cooking. When I cooked, I never made measurements, just made every dish to taste. It tasted a little different every time. This gratin tasted like it had been measured exactly for the perfect ratio. It took me a half hour to finish the meal, and around eleven twenty I left Chez Clement with a light heart and a slightly too-full stomach.

My backpack was half-full of herbs, flowers, rocks, and branches when I found the mine. Yes, I carry a huge bag. And a lot of zipper bags to separate finds into. Of course I didn't have a hammer, but I could at least pick up the iron, glass stone, and scrap iron from the ground inside the cave. As I was deciding whether the scrap had any use, a woman's voice called, "It's not a good profit, but it can be used to craft some things..." I looked up to see a girl with long, black hair and dark eyes standing near the entrance. "I'm Iroha, the town's blacksmith." Her apron was appropriate for her profession, and I thought it was pretty cool for someone around my age to be the smith for this town. "Ah, I'm Rose," I mumbled, "Just moved here a few days ago."

"If you don't have one, I could lend you my hammer. That's really the only way to find useful ore," Iroha offered. I fidgeted a little and mumbled, "Uh, thanks," embarrassed that she'd noticed my lack of equipment. How many villagers had I not met? I knew there was a traveling agency, but I hadn't been there. Then there was Tina, who did the weekly newspapers. A magician, a doctor, and an architect... I'd meet them all in time. With a grateful nod I took the offered hammer, chipping away at the mining spots until I had a few minerals. As expected, my haul consisted mostly of copper and scrap iron, but I'd also found a piece of silver, two amethyst, and a diamond. I hadn't expected the last piece, and I was even more surprised when Iroha told me it was worth ten thousand g.

She left with her hammer a few minutes after the explanation, and I took the long way back to town, searching under every tree and in every patch of snow frosted grass for the necklace with my apple seeds. When I stood from checking a cluster of bushes, I found myself in uncomfortable eye contact with Grimm, who was wearing his raven hair in a small ponytail and studying me. "No kimono today, Rose Red?" I shook my head and answered, "I don't usually dress up." Grimm gave an interested smile. "No? So was it a special occasion? A birthday maybe?"

"Not quite. Yuri just made it for me... My birthday isn't..." I stopped midsentence, not really wanting to reveal so much to the stranger. He seemed harmless, but he asked the right questions for someone who wanted information. "So why'd you move here, Grimm? Needed a change of scenery?" I gave a hopefully authentic-looking smile as I tried to engage him in conversation about himself. He gave a smile that lit up his green eyes, and it looked like he was sincere as he replied, "Well, I was having some family trouble. My parents disowned me and my girlfriend left, so I decided to leave everything behind and start over. Everyone deserves a second chance, right? A new beginning, you know?"

I couldn't help but empathize. I felt the same way about the town. It was a chance to start over, maybe even become a better person. This time around, I was going to stop avoiding people and being so suspicious. I held out my hand to shake Grimm's, declaring, "Well, I hope we can be friends, Grimm." His hand was cold, but he had a firm grip, and after the handshake Grimm gave a bow like he had the night before. He stood and looked me in the eye, adding, "I hope for the same, Rose Red." With another smile he turned to go, calling, "I'll see you at the inn?"

"Maybe," I joked, watching him leave before kneeling on the snow and continuing my search. I felt sympathy for Grimm's family situation, and maybe that was impairing my judgement, but I'd decided to be friends with him regardless of my earlier suspicions. Though something about him seemed so familiar. Maybe it was his eyes. They reminded me of Weiss'. Though my cousin's were brown, they had the same expression: Strong and kind but a little sad. Though his greeting rang in my head, followed by my own words... _'Maybe.'_


	8. Regret and Forgiveness

I'd worked my way through the forest, but night had fallen, and there was no reason to check the mountain area I hadn't ventured into, so I took a shortcut back to the river to check my traps. The first two were a letdown, but I had to grin at the sight of three eel squirming around in my third fish trap. I dispatched them with the filet knife I carried in my bag, gutting and filleting the fish before bagging the edible parts and throwing out the rest. 'Calls Me Home' was playing on my mp3 as I headed back into town, and I couldn't help but sing along softly as I separated my finds between my bag and the shipping bin. "In the quiet moment, when the Earth holds still... I'm coming home, to breathe again, to start again..." It _was_ starting to feel like home, and I wondered if over time I would grow to call this place my hometown...

With a smile I trudged through the snow to Chez Clement, waving to Felicity as I sat down. She was wearing a new hairclip and smiling, and I couldn't help but think Weiss had given her the clip. After all, it had an apple charm on it, so it was either from my cousin or Emma. "What'll you have, Rose?" Felicity asked happily. "Our special tonight is stew!" _Stew, huh?_ Something hot would be a good meal before bed, and I was partial to home cooking... Plus I wasn't about to go over to Weiss' house and cook, since he hadn't apologized to Soseki yet. "Alright, I'll take the special then." I guess she noticed my good mood, because after she relayed the order to Clement, she looked around at the satisfied customers and sat across from me. Intertwining her fingers, she sat her chin on them, inquiring, "So who is it?"

"Who's what?" Trying not to look nervous, I frowned. Felicity laughed and replied, "You know what! Weiss told me about your deal. You've been here for what, four days now? You have to have met all the guys by now! Is it Neil?" I stared at her for a moment before snapping, "Wait, he _told_ you!? That stupid jerk..." Felicity was watching me with a confused expression, and I gave her a stern frown. "If he sent you to patch things up, tell him it ain't happening... And it's none of his business who I end up forcing myself to be in the company of..."

A third voice joined the conversation, proclaiming, "It's best to let yourself... like people. Weiss... has a point..." I turned to frown at Yuri as well, and saw that she was also wearing an apple clip. _What are those things, like friendship bracelets? _Felicity nodded in agreement, chiming in with, "Going on a date with someone from town is a great way to become friends, even if you aren't looking for more. BUT- if you end up falling for one of the guys, you HAVE to tell me!"

"And me too! A scoop like that would be perfect for the next edition of the paper!" I looked up again, noticing a girl I hadn't met. She had a brown side ponytail and bright green eyes, and wore a perpetual smile. "I'm Tina," she added, sitting down. "Star reporter of Echo Town!" _Is this some kind of girly intervention!? _"Uh hi, Tina..." The others greeted her, and I tried to get the subject off of my situation. "Are you two gonna order something?" Tina nodded, answering, "I'm getting gratin." Yuri took something from her pocket, sliding it across the table. "I came to... give you this..." The red velvet pouch looked no worse for wear, and I studied it with a tense expression before letting out a relieved sigh. Its contents were intact. Not a single seed was damaged or missing. "Where did you find this?"

"I didn't... he asked me to give you it..." She stood and turned to go, walking out as I frowned. "Wait, who did?" I called, sighing as the door closed behind her. "Is that the bag?" Felicity asked excitedly. "Y- yeah..." So she knew about the seeds? Weiss had crossed the line. He didn't need to tell people anything about me, let alone my most human secrets... Yuri had returned the necklace, and she was wearing a new clip. That meant it was likely Weiss who had found it. _The coward wouldn't bring it to me himself?_ Now that I had my seeds back in their rightful place, resting over my rapidly beating heart, I'd go give Weiss a piece of my mind... "Stew is up! Felicity, could you deliver this?" Well, after dinner.

Tina hopped up and gave Clement her order as Felicity carried over my stew, looking perfect for the character of a waitress. Maybe I'd make a character after her in my new book, just for fun. A few of the villagers already had counterparts, since I drew mostly from memory for personalities and appearances. After scribbling down a quick character description I took a bite of the stew, once again amazed at Clement's skill. Felicity and Tina were still talking about the deal, but had moved on to the Starry Night Festival. "Yuri and I were talking about taking Weiss for a friends' date. She's actually really nice and cute when you get to know her. I totally think my plan to get Weiss to fall for her is working!" Felicity laughed.

"Your what?!" I stared at her, my look of lost confusion giving way to disbelief. "I thought you were interested in Weiss!" With another laugh, Felicity shook her head, and I sighed again. _I guess he doesn't have to worry about choosing, but that's kind of harsh..._ "Since I moved here, Weiss has been very kind to me. I noticed that he's also kind to everyone in town, but moreso Yuri. She told me he's been bringing her herb soup. That's her favorite food ever!" Now her laugh was an excited giggle, and she added, "The three of us are good friends. Emma even made Yuri and I hairclips!" Felicity showed off the apple clip that Emma, not Weiss, had made, and I gave up on trying to figure anything out.

I continued to eat my stew, listening to the discussion as Tina announced, "I was sort of thinking about putting an ad in the paper for the twenty fourth. So people who are too shy to ask in person can request to have their invitation to the festival in print! What do you guys think?" Felicity nodded, smiling. "That sounds so cute! Do you think Rod will have the guts to ask you?" I laughed as Tina's face turned red, adding, "Maybe you could put your own ad." Smiling but embarrassed, she muttered, "Maybe... So, what about you, Felicity? Who do you like?" The waitress blushed and stared at the table. "Well... I did have a _little _crush on Weiss when I first moved here. But right now, I don't think I'm interested in anyone in town. I heard two cute guys are going to be moving here once Weiss finishes building that mansion~"

Both girls turned to me, smiling innocently. "So, spill the beans, Red. I know you met someone interesting~" Met someone interesting? What was Felicity getting at? Confused, I answered, "Yeah, just Grimm. He's not so much interesting as kinda sad, though." Tina whipped out her notepad, asking, "Who is this Grimm?!"

"Speak of the devil, and he will order dinner," Grimm muttered, sitting down next to me. He turned to Tina with a smile, adding, "_This_ Grimm is the new guy in town." His green eyes flashed to Felicity, then back to Tina. "What would you like to know?" With a chuckle I set my spoon in the stew dish, putting on my backpack. "I'm gonna go take care of some stuff." As I stood to leave I felt the urge to mess with Grimm's loose black hair. I ruffled it, mumbling, "See ya, Grimm." When I turned, a hand gripped my wrist tightly, and I looked back at Grimm. "Uh, could you let go? That kinda hurts. Hey, Grimm?" He appeared frozen, in a bit of a trance, and only when I grabbed his arm with my free hand did he blink and look at me. "What?" He noticed his grip on my arm and let go, cheeks turning pink. "Uh, sorry..." I frowned, asking, "You okay?"

"I'm fine, Rose Red... Sorry, I was thinking." With a shrug I headed out, prepared for the chaos I was about to cause.

"Come with me." I grabbed Weiss' arm and dragged him along, not letting him get a word in edgewise. "You're not going to tell me or my friends what to do." Weiss smirked as I pounded on Soseki's door. "You said friends," he noted. "Y- yeah, and? You got a problem with that?" He shook his head as Soseki opened the door. It was almost closed again, but I got a deathgrip on the journalist's arm as well, pulling them both toward the inn. "So, what are we doing?" Soseki asked as I dragged them up the steps. I said nothing, but released them at my door, unlocking the room and opening it before shoving the two of them in. I followed, shutting and locking the door behind myself. "Now, no one leaves until you two get along. Weiss, what is your problem with Soseki?" My cousin started to answer, and I added, "If you say everything, or that he makes me any more reckless than normal, I _will _deck you."

Soseki laughed, and I frowned at Weiss. "I don't know him, okay? Everyone you knew when we were younger was part of Orchard Town, so I knew everything about them. Soseki is the only person I don't understand, and I didn't want you around someone I couldn't be sure about," he explained. I rolled my eyes. "Puh-lease, I'm not twelve years old. Get over your protective issues, Weiss. Anyway, I bet you don't know the newbie, Grimm." Weiss raised an eyebrow at me, mumbling, "Grimm? What kind of parent gives their son that name?" I twitched at the butchered sentence. One wrong word could kill a statement...

"His. If you're saying a parent in the singular, it's proper grammar to say 'his'." Soseki crossed his arms as Weiss gave a sigh. "So, do I need to apologize too?" the journalist asked. I shook my head, waiting for my cousin to get back to the point. "Okay, whatever. I don't care about Grimm... Soseki, I'm sorry i didn't trust you." I glared at him. "AND?" With a sigh he continued, "I'm also sorry I told you to stay away from Rose. I told her you were harmless before the two of you met, but I guess I was bothered that she went to you about the necklace and that you were the one who helped her before... I'd also like to invite both of you to lunch at my house tomorrow... Am I done?" I looked at Soseki. "What do you think?" He smiled, giving a shrug and replying, "Sounds good to me, Rose Bud."

"Oh, and by the way, Yuri brought me the bag, Weiss. Thanks." My cousin gave me a confused frown and shook his head. "I didn't find it..." Soseki scratched his head, looking at the wall, and I gave a smile. "Did you find the bag, Old Man?" He blinked and looked at me, sighing, "How'd you know? It was supposed to be a surprise. You don't get much excitement at my age." I crossed my arms and frowned at him, grumbling, "Would ya quit it with the old talk? You really can't be even thirty. Why do you always seem so tired with people? Doesn't a journalist have to get out there and take risks to find a story?"

Soseki's expression changed to one of sadness, and he muttered, "I've taken enough risks with people... I decided a long time ago that trust and caring were weaknesses. Over the past few days, I've found myself thinking about what I left behind. And I never want to go back. I'm not a journalist anymore, Rose Bud. There are more important things to me than news stories." I found myself feeling sorry for him. He obviously hadn't lived the easiest life so far, and I sighed, unlocking the door and opening it for the two of them. Weiss left with a bow and another apology to Soseki. The former journalist accepted it and turned to me, giving a sad smile. "I'm sorry if I messed up your good mood, Rose Bud. But betrayal changes a person-"

He blinked, looking down at me. "Are you alright?" I'd ended up with my arms tightly around his torso, crushing him in a hug that I _know_ I hadn't thought about before initiating... "Sorry," I mumbled. My face was getting warm, and I was about to release him and die of embarrassment at my stupid actions when I felt his arms around my shoulders... _What the hell?! Is he hugging me back?! I feel like a stupid, emotional moron... _

Soseki let go after about five seconds, giving me a sincere smile. "Thank you, Rose Bud. I really needed that. I can't tell you how long it's been since this old man was hugged by such a cute young girl." He laughed and turned to leave. "Don't mess with me, Old Man." My cheeks grew warmer, and I shoved the writer out of my room, closing the door behind him. "Good night," he called from the hall.

"Same," I mumbled, leaning against the closed door. _What was that? And now I'm supposed to hang out with him and Weiss tomorrow?_


	9. Grimm: Love and Madness

In some cultures, my name is synonymous with death. Since childhood, though, people have ignored my true nature, relegating my name to a place more 'suited' for the lonely child who watched their games with dull green eyes. Fairy tales... they are a prison for the mind. They promise happiness and a fair end, and then devastate your being. Of course, I don't mean the rhymes children sing as they skip rope. The true stories are from Grimm's Tales. The true stories are my own.

I had to become a fairy tale. Tossing and turning at night, the names come to me in whispers. So many names, people like myself, trapped in their own fairy tales. I had to free them. So I found them.

There were three: The first was Hans. Six tales trapped him in life. Clever Hans, Gambling Hans, Hans in Luck, Hans Married, Hans My Hedgehog, and Strong Hans. There was also the little known story 'Hans Dumm.' In death, he rode on his back down the river, calm and still, and he was free. For two weeks the voices quieted, and I felt a rush of fulfillment. That was what I was meant to do. Those whose names were tying them to the stories had to die to be freed.

Maleen was next. She was the lovely Maid Maleen. But she was also a victim of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm's stories, and so she had to die. I confess I loved her from the day we met. Her violet eyes and smile still live on in my mind as they do beyond life. Her home was as lovely as she through the orange flames that consumed them both. For months my mind was quiet, satisfied, numb. But in those months my heart ached more than it ever had in the past.

Then came Roland. Sweetheart Roland, whose tale was whispered to me night after night. He lived on a far off island. Until I saved him, that is. I had to travel for three days to find him, but the voices egged me on, urging me to release him. It was beneath a silk-cased pillow that he met his end, and his freedom. People had no clue what tied their deaths together, these three strangers whom only a rare, well-read child could place. It's been a year since Roland breathed his last, and only a few weeks ago did the voices stir.

_Little Briar Rose. The Rose. Snow White and Rose Red..._ Rose Red. I looked in every record I could find, and only in the listing for a place called Orchard Town was there any mention of the girl. Rose Red, the voices claimed, was the last of my assignments. After her, I could be free too... My parents have never known me, nor truly known anything of my work. They've suspected me of madness. Indeed, madness! But I know I am not mad. The voices of the trapped have warned me against trusting those who would think me mad. I left them behind and ventured to Orchard Town, asking around in my usual pleasant manner, while inside I was boiling with excitement. Unfortunately, I was told that she had left, moved to another town a ways off. That was only a small delay for me, as I also found out the name of the new town: Echo.

I arrived in darkness, as was my custom. Ordinarily I'd seek out the victim and speak with her, meeting casually a few times before finishing my work. This time, she found me. The girl was hustling along in the dark, sopping wet and more than a bit distracted. I called out as she nearly ran into me, apologizing and asking for directions to the inn. I also asked about her soaked kimono, but she said she'd just gone swimming. She led me to the inn and I introduced myself. Then she told me her name was Rose Red... A shame she had to die to be free. She was the perfect Rose Red for the story. I bid Rose Red a good night and slept well, comforted by the satisfied whispers that congratulated me on my work so far.

Earlier this evening I encountered her again, twice in fact. Then again, I'd been following her movements closely. In the forest, I came across her, looking for something or foraging. A line from the story 'Snow White and Rose Red' was recited in my mind._ "Rose-red liked better to run about in the meadows and fields seeking flowers and catching butterflies." _Moreso than any of the others, she was a part of her story... She looked up and noticed me, and I smiled, once again the friendly new villager. I asked a few questions and was rewarded with interest in myself. It was strange, hearing someone ask about my life... I told her of my parents disinterest in me, and attributed my move to a failed relationship. It was true, since Maleen and I weren't meant to be, and the voices still called for my services.

I left her to her work and gave myself some time to think, mulling over the plan for this one. My rescuees all had a different way out, and Rose Red deserved a death befitting her name. There had to be blood. I would figure out the perfect date later, but all I knew for now was that the color red needed to cancel out the numb, chilling white of the snow. There was a restaurant beside the inn, and I was feeling peckish. Needless to say Rose Red had gone in a while ago, and I intended to follow. My rescuees always needed to know that i'd be a frequent visitor, a constant companion until their deaths, so to speak. As I headed inside, I heard mention of my name. I was satisfied with the discussion, as it meant Rose was thinking of me. "Speak of the devil, and he will order dinner," I joked, sitting beside her. "What do you wish to know?" I hadn't seen either of the girls who were speaking with Rose, but I did study them for a moment.

The long-haired girl with violet eyes was staring at me, and I found myself thinking about Maleen. She looked almost identical to the woman I'd set free so long ago. I felt a sharp pain in my head at the thought of the beautiful Maid Maleen's end. It had been so long since we'd been together, and until I finished my work we wouldn't be reunited. The whispers reminded me that once I'd joined her, we would never be apart, and for a moment I was content. But I wondered as I felt something touch my head if beyond the living world things were so pure. How would I find Maleen? How did I know that I was doing everything right? I was told over and over that my work was needed, but by whom?

I grabbed the hand that had touched me, only coming out of my daze a few moments later. I blinked and looked at Rose. "Uh, sorry..." I told her that I was fine, and she seemed to believe me. After she left, I answered a few questions from Tina, the reporter, and glanced at the other girl whenever I got a chance. Her name was Felicity... It had no relation to the tales, and yet I felt a connection to her every time I looked at her violet eyes... _What's wrong with me?_

_ "Nothing. You're our savior," _the voices whispered. _"You are Grimm..."_

((Mini bonus:

(All Nightcores)

- Hello (Evanescence)

- Evil Angel (Breaking Benjamin)

- Stranger (Secondhand Serenade)

I listened to these as I wrote. They seem to fit last one is for Grimm and Maleen/Felicity :))


	10. Ill Will and Illness

Something happened last night. It had never happened before. But something in my mind changed, and last night I relived the dream that had been plaguing me. It wasn't like the other times I'd dreamed. This time, the whole nightmare changed.

_"Rose Red, I'm sorry. Forgive me..." _I opened my eyes to see the stars, once again in the pattern of the first dream's. It was dark, but the moon and stars fed enough light into the grassy area for me to see basic figures. I sat up, turning to see five people standing around me: Yuri, Felicity, Weiss, Soseki, and Grimm. Why were they there now? Was this thing going to give me some answers, or retreat into cold silence? I stood, facing Weiss to ask, "What's going on?" The group looked at each other, but no one answered my question. Felicity gave a smile, and Soseki put a hand on my shoulder. "You're not meant to know just yet," he said, leaving the rest to Felicity, who added, "The circumstances are changing. If it continues this way, the original dream can be prevented..." As she trailed off, the stars faded, descending us into darkness. Silence followed moments behind, as every presence disappeared.

When I woke up, I was lying on my back on the floor, wrapped in the comforter. My pillow was hanging halfway off the bed, and my neck felt stiff from the sleeping position. With a sigh I stood, fixing the bed and taking a pen from my bedside table to scrawl the events of the new dream down. I wanted to keep track of the way it morphed itself, in case it truly could be changed for the better. It had been a few days since I'd woken up in such a neutral mood, and I let myself enjoy that for a moment before digging in my dresser for clean clothes.

Most of my wardrobe consisted of different colored overalls that my father and I had made, various shirts, tanktops, vests, scarves, and pants. Shoe-wise I had three pairs of boots: steel-toed work boots and my silver and black combat boots. There was also a pair of sandals that went with my komon, but I didn't count that pair, since I'd never wear it to anything normal. I took a cyan pair of overalls from my dresser, pairing it with a white shirt and green scarf. I also grabbed the silver boots. When I was dressed, I wrapped the scarf around my neck until it reached my chin. I really didn't feel like going out in the chilly weather, but I needed to meet those two for lunch later.

Since I'd be hanging out with Weiss, I decided to wear one of the hair ornaments he'd made me back in Orchard Town. I decided on a blue clip with a snowflake on it, and after failing several attempts to clip it to the right side of my bangs, I gave a frustrated growl. Here I was trying to pay attention to what I looked like for once. I was making an effort, and so far I wasn't seeing any results.

After another five tries I managed to sweep aside a part of my too-long bangs and clip it there without it looking silly. My light aqua eyes could actually be seen as I glanced in the mirror mounted above the dresser, and I frowned. It was odd, feeling kind of open... With a shrug I headed out, figuring if I was early I could visit Weiss' animals. According to the silver pocket watch I hooked to the right pocket of my overalls, it was just after ten o'clock. Two hours was plenty of time to see the livestock and let Weiss finish his chores. As I crossed onto the property, a disturbing thought crossed my mind: Weiss had invited us for the lunch. That meant... _he was cooking?_ In all the years I've spent with Weiss, he's only succeeded in making an edible meal three times. One of those was the stack of pancake crepes from the last time I'd visited.

I managed to steal all of Weiss' chores, using the spare tools he kept by the supply shed to water and fertilize the crops, harvest three fields of fodder, and brush the animals. I was exhausted by the time I finished working the 10 fields of crops he'd planted despite the chilly weather, but it felt great to do some physical work after so long holed up on the last bit of barren farmland.

As I gave Bean a third treat, she took on her concerned look. I patted her head and smiled, mumbling, "Cover your bets on whether we get food poisoning, Bean." The alpaca gave me a nudge and headed back to the fodder she'd been munching on. The other animals were intent on their brunch, and didn't pay me much notice. Taking the hint, I slipped them some treats and headed to the coop, where I was greeted by the sight of my cousin hopping on one foot and grumbling to himself. His frost-white hair flopped against his forehead with every jump, and he looked like he was having a lot of trouble balancing on one leg. "What'd ya do this time, Weiss?" He looked up with a grimace, admitting, "I dropped my backpack on my foot with all my tools in it..." With hardly a chuckle at his clumsiness, I tossed a couple of treats to the chickens and took Weiss' arm, dragging him over to his house.

After forcing him to sit I tossed him an ace bandage from my bag, sighing, "Take care of it, Snowy." It took him about ten minutes to ease the sock and shoe off of his swollen foot and gingerly wrap the bandage over the bruised skin. I took the opportunity to investigate Weiss' kitchen, trying to deduce whether lunch would be edible. But nothing had been cooked as far as I could tell... "Uh, are you making lunch, or do you want me to do it since you hurt your foot?" _Please don't let him cook, Harvest Goddess... _Wiess shook his head, replying, "Neither. I've ordered food from Chez Clement. Apparently they've started a delivery service, so I asked Clement to prepare the meal. It should be here around Soseki's arrival."

"Okay, what did you order?" I asked, hoping it was something decent. With a shrug, he checked the notepad he kept by his phone. "I think it was mushroom spaghetti." _Great. Mushroom... _I'd never liked the texture of mushrooms, and I'm pretty sure Weiss knew that. Either he was messing with me or he'd forgotten what I liked. "So why did you pick that?" I gave him my unamused frown, and he scratched his head, once again embarrassed. "Well, I bought the blueprints I need for the town renovation, and... I'm almost broke now. So I bought the cheapest thing I saw on the menu," he explained. I sighed at the sight of his sheepish smile, grumbling, "You should've asked me to cook. I've got eel and everything. And some cash now, if you needed help paying for the food."

Weiss shrugged, arguing, "It's fine. Next time I'll let you make it. I was just thinking maybe Felicity would deliver the food and I could talk to her..." With another sigh I shook my head. "You're hopeless, lover boy." I remembered the conversation I'd had with the other girls last night and frowned at Weiss. "Actually, I don't think Felicity is interested in going to the festival with you. Maybe you should invite Yuri," I suggested, not feeling at all tactful in my blurted explanation. My cousin smiled, giving another shrug and replying, "I know. She's always seemed to be a little distant." Sure, he says that about the girl who speaks in full sentences... His cheeks once again turned pink as he added, "I was going to ask her how to invite Yuri without seeming pushy or creepy, since they're friends and she'd probably know."

I raised an eyebrow at my cousin. "That's actually a logical solution," I mentioned, messing up his hair. I tended to do that to anyone whose hair looked overly neat for their personality, but it had been more fun to mess with his when it was longer. "Why don't you grow your hair back out?" He frowned at me, replying, "Why don't you grow yours?" Okay, let me get this out there: I have _never _liked the feeling of long hair. If it touches my shoulders it's way too long. I don't even like it on my neck. I think it looks good on guys, and most other girls, but it just doesn't fit me. Not to mention the maintenance. Weiss knew all this as well. "You know I'd never do that," I grumbled, now subconsciously fiddling with my hair.

"Anybody home?" There was a knock at the door, and I turned to glance at it before looking at Weiss. "Want me to get it?" He nodded, trying to get his wrapped up foot back into the shoe that was not cooperating. With a smile at my cousin's inept behavior, I swung the door open, greeting Soseki. He appeared more at ease than he'd been the night before, and gave a grin before saying, "What's the occasion, Rose Bud?" I let him in and closed the door again. "Whattaya mean, occasion?" I wasn't wearing the kimono again, and the house wasn't decorated. Soseki smiled, sitting down at the dining table. He almost waved to Weiss, but noticed his right shoes struggle and put his hand down. "Well, you're wearing a clip that lets me see your cute face. So I thought maybe there was a special occasion."

"Uh huh..." I frowned at him, grumbling, "Stop calling me that, Old Man..." His smile widened, and he gave a helpless shrug. "Well, you said not to act like an old man, so I didn't call you young. I didn't even complain about my back pain," he whined with a hurt expression. I gaped at him, sighing, "I don't understand you..." He gave a wink. "That's the point, Rose Bud. I know I only moved here recently, but these surroundings are relatively peaceful. I haven't been bothered with trusting others, so I haven't revealed anything about myself. Tell you what. If you prove that you trust me, I'll tell you what happened before I came to this town."

My face must have conveyed my confusion well, because he laughed, "Not right now. You'll figure out how that works later on. So, are we here to talk about me, or are we going to eat something?" Having given up on his shoe, Weiss finally spoke up with, "The food should be here any minute." Apparently satisfied with the answer, Soseki yawned and leaned back in his chair. For a few minutes the three of us sat in silence, Weiss taking off his other shoe and Soseki possibly falling asleep while I fidgeted with my necklace, tying the knot lower so the cord wouldn't slip off. I watched Weiss take his seat at the table, waiting for the delivery. I'd just sit when I'd gotten the door and set the food out... I looked again at my cousin. He'd taken the seat directly across from Soseki. That meant I had to sit between them, and if they argued I'd be in the line of fire. _Great... _

There was a rap at the door, and I sighed, opening it with a welcoming smile. But Felicity wasn't the one holding the tray. Instead, a man with a black ponytail and dark green eyes was standing there, grinning. "Grimm? Why're you-?" Smiling, he handed me the tray, answering, "Clement decided to hire me for the delivery work last night. Felicity suggested it so she could maintain her post in the restaurant." Grimm pointed at the plates, which each had plastic wrap over the top and a doodle on the wrap. "The one with the apple is Weiss', extra mushroom. The cat doodle is Soseki's, fish added." _Why's Soseki's a cat? _I tried not to laugh, letting him continue. "The flower is yours, crab added." I gave Grimm a nod and a thank you, and he bowed before turning to go. "I'll see you later, Rose Red."

"You too, Grimm, I guess." With a shrug I headed inside, closing the door and setting the tray on the kitchen counter. I put the others' plates down in front of them, then took my own and joined them at the table. When we uncovered the pasta, Soseki frowned and poked at a piece of mushroom with his chopsticks. "Mushroom spaghetti? Not my favorite..." Mine either, but at least Weiss seemed to like it. He'd already eaten a quarter of his by the time I'd mustered the courage to eat a piece of mushroom. It wasn't horrible, but definitely on the top 10 of my least favorite dishes. The crab was a definite improvement, and I noticed Soseki picking out the fish to eat a piece with every bite.

Minimal conversation took place, and mostly consisted of Weiss and Soseki arguing over whether the spaghetti was good and their flinging bits of mushroom at each other. It honestly felt like eating with a pair of six year olds. Despite my disdain for the meal, I finished first, and ended up sitting there while the others quibbled over the food. As they launched another miniature food fight, a piece of mushroom flew from Weiss' side of the table and splattered against my cheek, sliding down my jaw and onto my clean scarf. I gritted my teeth and growled, "You two need to-"

I ignored the food stuck to the scarf and held the cloth against my mouth, feeling suddenly sick to my stomach. _That's what happens when you eat Weiss' cooking or mushrooms... _I glared at Weiss and Soseki, who stopped quarreling after exchanging a frown. I really felt like crap. Maybe I was finally catching a cold after that midnight 'swim,' or maybe it was the food. Whatever the cause, I now had a splitting headache in the place of my energy, and my stomach was rebelling against its contents. I laid my chin on the table drowsily, mumbling through the scarf, "Could ya turn down the heater?" _It's really warm in here. Too many people._

Soseki and Weiss were staring at me, and I frowned, adding, "Eat your food and stop staring." _If they think it's cool enough, I'll just go outside and check. _I stood on wobbily legs and walked out, not noticing the others' confused stares. "Are you alright?" Weiss asked, putting a hand on my shoulder as I started walking through the snow to cool down. The world spun and tilted, and the snow cushioned my fall as I tumbled onto the ground, waving off Weiss' help. "I'm fine," I mumbled through the scarf as I closed my eyes to rest for a moment.

((Notes:

I've been getting ready for Shadocon, and my next chapter may be late (Saturday.)

I'm actually performing on Friday, so I have to make sure I've got the song down, and my cosplay together. Expect chapter eleven on saturday evening.

Also, the links in chapter 9 wouldn't post the complete html, so I corrected it by just posting the names of the songs. Hope you don't mind. If you've any requests/votes, get 'em in now, as I'm finalizing pairings and plot~ That's all ;) Hope you enjoy. ))


	11. Grimm: Guilt and Poison

I was just testing the dosage. It wasn't an attempt on her life. But as I sat in Klaus' office, awaiting Rose Red's arrival, I felt a twinge of guilt, only for a moment. It bothered me that I was waiting like this, with the doctor under the impression that I was just a patient. As the door was opened, I maintained my blank look, deciding against adding concern to my facade. As Klaus turned his disapproving gaze on Weiss and Soseki, I frowned. These two could make things difficult. And Rose Red's cousin... his name sounded familiar. Weiss Snow was his name. Snow... What did Weiss mean?

It couldn't be... The voices hadn't mentioned him. Why not? Were they hiding things from me now? I was having second thoughts about following their instructions, but I ignored them and continued frowning at Weiss.

Well, I'm getting ahead of myself. Yesterday, at the Chez Clement, I'd stayed and talked with TIna, Felicity and Clement for a long while. Of course I told them nothing of my true reason for moving to Echo Town, but we still had an interesting conversation. The chef told me he had been trying to start a delivery service for his restaurant, but he couldn't send Felicity out on deliveries during operating hours. I needed something to do to seem more natural in the town, so I volunteered for the job. After all, walking around was something I often did without pay, and making deliveries would be a good way to learn about the villagers. He seemed happy that someone had taken an interest in the program, and told me he'd let me deliver on a trial basis the next time a customer had an order.

I was in luck. Only twenty minutes later, as I was preparing to take my leave, the phone rang. I couldn't hear the voice over the phone, but I listened closely to Clement's side of the conversation. "So that's three mushroom spaghetti, one plain, one with fish, and one with crab? Alright. Would you like to use my new delivery service so you don't have to come pick it up in the morning?... Of course. Noon then. Thank you. I'll deduct the cost from that gift card you have in the system. Goodbye." I looked at Clement, and he smiled, calling, "You've got your first delivery. Weiss, one of our hardest working customers, is going to have lunch with Rose and Soseki tomorrow." I didn't know these people, but if they knew Rose Red, perhaps they could be useful. I'd have to ask Tina about them.

"He's ordered three plates of mushroom spaghetti for the luncheon. I'll cook them, Felicity will package them up and label them, and you can take a tray to carry them to Snow Farm. The house is just southwest of the river area. The trip should take about half an hour. What do you say to 200 g per delivery?" I nodded, replying, "It sounds good to me. I'll return in the morning then." With that I headed out into the night, thinking about the advantages of my new job. I would be making a steady wage just ferrying food back and forth. Meeting the villagers without making myself too noticeable would be easy under the guise of a delivery man.

Thinking about the next day's job set my thoughts back onto Rose Red. The voices had been pestering me, urging me to take action though it wasn't yet the time. I'd see tomorrow how she was doing and try to think of the perfect death for the girl whose hair and very name were the red of blood and roses. I frowned, thinking of the delivery I was to make to the farm she'd be on the next day. Rose Red didn't seem the type to enjoy mushrooms. The more I thought about them, the more I wondered. I'd found some mushrooms in the forest earlier in the day, and I was somewhat sure they were poisonous. How much so I didn't know. There was an interesting way to find out, though...

That brings me to today's events. When I awoke at eleven this morning, I got straight to work. I sliced up the poisonous mushrooms and took them to Chez Clement, asking to use a frying pan to make myself some breakfast. While frying the mushrooms, I took a look at the mushroom spaghetti recipe, mimicking the sauce recipe for my concoction and adding some shredded crab. There was a large pot of cooked pasta awaiting sauces and toppings, and I took enough to make a plate. When I'd mixed and plated the meal, it looked like the ones sitting on the counter and covered in plastic wrap.

Convinced this would work, I peeled the wrap with a rose doodled on it from Rose Red's plate, trying to drape it over my own. But the plastic stuck to itself and ended up in a wadded up ball. With a frown I tore a new sheet from the roll, but I couldn't recreate the rose... Instead I drew a sunflower, knowing that no one would notice or care. Once the new spaghetti was covered and in the place of Clement's original dish, I set the sturdy paper plates on my tray and threw out the now coverless plate. "Shall I make the delivery sir?"

"Go ahead. Don't forget which plate is whose. Do you need Felicity to go over it again?" Clement called from the counter, where he was busy with a customer. As Felicity rounded the corner to help me, I covered up the sunflower on Rose Red's plate with my hand. "There's no need!" I snapped, more panicked and harsh than I'd meant to sound. With a frown that was out of place on her bright face, Felicity turned and walked back to the dining room, leaving me to stare at the floor. After a moment I sighed and left, headed to the farm. Now I was distracted by the thought of Felicity's frown. I didn't want her to have an unhappy expression. Not if she was like my Maleen.

But then, she was a bit... different from Maid Maleen. Unlike my first love, Felicity wore a red lipstick that I admit distracted me in our conversations yesterday. I don't like to be focused on too many things at once, and so several times our conversations lapsed into silence as her words went without response while I stared at her blood red lips. Several times she accused me off being in another world mentally, or dazed. If only she knew how true that feels sometimes...

When I'd been grilled for a life story last night by Tina, I'd given her the same story as I had Rose Red. After we were done discussing me, much to my pleasure, they brought up a festival, asking about an idea for displaying invitations in the newspaper. It was a good concept, and I told them that. Tina explained the night of the twenty-fifth as one for lovers and friends to watch the stars together.

My mind wandered as I carried the tray, remembering Tina's gabbing about who she thought would attend and with whom. I wondered what it would be like to view the stars, trying to picture myself sitting beside Maleen on a grassy slope, just us together. But when she turned to me, her image faded, and one of a similarly beautiful girl in blood red lipstick took her place... I was supposed to be with Maleen when I finished the work of the voices, wasn't I!? How could I see myself with someone else!?

Angry with myself, I left my thoughts behind, realizing only after a few seconds that I was at the door to Weiss' house. With a sigh at my own foolishness I knocked at the door, smiling as Rose Red opened it to greet me. Her surprised face when she saw me holding the tray told me she wasn't expecting my arrival. I liked startling her, but in a way I disliked my amusement. Something was different about her. She was more... human than the others. I almost dropped the tray so that I wouldn't have to hand over the plate that held my guilt and poison, but I couldn't disobey my voices. Not when I was so close to finishing everything.

"Grimm? Why're you-?" Rose Red trailed off, and I handed her the tray, smiling again as I answered, "Clement decided to hire me for the delivery work last night. Felicity suggested it so she could maintain her post in the restaurant." I pointed at the pictures doodled atop the plastic wrap, adding, "The one with the apple is Weiss', extra mushroom. The cat doodle is Soseki's, fish added." She seemed to stifle a laugh at the subject of Soseki's picture, and I couldn't help but wonder what she thought of him. I hadn't yet met the man, but from what I'd heard he was a lazy writer with a penchant for kimono and a laundry list of ailments. Making a note to figure out their relationship before I took my next action, I sighed, pointing at the last plate before I lost my nerve. "The flower is yours, crab added." I bowed as she took the tray inside, calling, "I'll see you later, Rose Red."

"You too, Grimm, I guess." Her reply sounded a little confused, and I noted that she didn't know she'd likely be visiting Klaus soon. According to what I'd read and the amount of mushroom I'd used, Rose Red should have become slightly ill, had a headache, and possibly been vomiting. That would be enough to warrant a doctor's visit. After returning to Chez Clement, I told the chef that I'd made the delivery and that I was feeling unwell. He gave a sympathetic smile and said to visit Klaus and get back when I felt better. With a nod I walked to the doctor's house, this time keeping my mind clear of thoughts.

It was with a relaxed sigh that I arrived at Klaus' home, and I entered the building blankly. After I explained symptoms that pointed to simple dehydration, Klaus had me sit and drink water. He also handed me several vitamins and offered a stamina shot which I refused. As I said, I was surprised by the arrival of Weiss and Soseki. I'd caught a quick glimpse of the long-haired journalist when I'd delivered the spaghetti, but now I studied him with an annoyed frown. He was quite tall, at least three inches taller than Weiss, and was carrying Rose Red like she wasn't a bit heavy. _So he's strong physically... interesting, considering his complaints of weakness... _

I frowned and looked at Weiss, who was visibly as upset as his companion was calm. "Klaus, we need some help," he called. Klaus turned, then gave a sigh at the sight of the three. "What reckless things have you done this time?" the doctor grumbled, scanning Rose Red. She appeared to be asleep, and I wondered why she wasn't awake and ill. Judging by her state, the mushrooms had had more of an effect than I'd anticipated. "Soseki? Weiss?" I stood and walked to Soseki, who walked past me without a word.

"What happened?" I asked, wanting to know the side effects of the poisonous fungus. Weiss shook his head as Rose Red was put into one of the patients' beds and Klaus went to retrieve his instruments. "She started saying the room was warm and looked sick to her stomach. Then she tried to take a walk outside and just collapsed." The farmer seemed baffled by his cousin's condition, and I patted him on the shoulder consolingly. "She probably overworked herself. I heard from Tina about the bouncing mushroom incident and the fall in the river. Maybe she needs more vitamins and less risks."

Weiss frowned at me. "Tina? How'd she find out?" Tina and I had had quite a thorough conversation on Weiss, and I wasn't about to tell the man her trade secrets. I could tell he was annoyed at the journalist for spilling the beans on his family issues, and I added with amusement, "She also told me about that deal you made with Rose Red. And the festival. It might be fun to take Rose Red stargazing." This time the white haired farmer crossed his arms and gave me a full-on glare. "Her name is Rose, okay? You can call her Red if you want, but quit using her full name. And for the record, I don't trust you anywhere near my cousin. If you so much as mention the Starry Night Festival in front of her, I will send Soseki after you."

"Wait, why me?" the kimono-clad journalist called from beside Klaus. I nodded, adding, "Yes, why him? Are you too weak to fight me yourself? Or afraid that Rose Red would make you look bad?" Weiss grabbed my collar like he could actually do something if I decided to fight him, and I smirked. "As much as I'd love to fight you if you do anything to hurt Red, I don't want manslaughter on my record," he whispered, looking me in the eye. Impressed by his audacity, I smiled and put up my hands peaceably. "Fine, fine. I was just teasing. Rose Red is a lovely girl. But I did say it would only be amusing. There's someone I'd rather attend the festival with anyway."

I'd seen enough to know that poison mushrooms wouldn't give me the effect I wanted, and I was prepared to take my leave of the clinic. But now more than ever I was starting to feel dissatisfied with my work. I looked past Weiss, catching a glimpse of Rose Red, and I felt something I hadn't before. Compassion. I didn't want her to die... But the voices couldn't be quelled, and I couldn't take my place beside my love until she was gone...

_Someone help me..._


	12. Trust and Bitter-Sweetness

When I opened my eyes, I didn't have a clue as to where I was. The room was warm, but not uncomfortably so, and I was on a firm bed, so I assumed it was my bedroom until I looked around. It was well lit and pretty plain, but I didn't recognize the wall patterns and shelving. I still felt like I was going to throw up, so I didn't get out of the bed or sit up straight, but I did clear my throat and call, "Anybody here?" A few seconds later a man walked around the divider, adjusting his glasses and giving me a frown. "I would have preferred our first meeting to consist of a visit and the exchange of names, Rose. You're lucky Weiss and Soseki followed you, or who knows how long you would have been asleep in the snow... I'm Doctor Klaus, by the way."

"Uh huh... Where's-" before I even finished the question, Weiss had rounded the corner, and within seconds he was crushing me in another of his annoying hugs. "You're awake!" I sighed, "Yes, Captain Obvious. Now what am I doing here?" He finally let go and took a step back, looking at the floor. "You got sick at lunch, so Soseki and I carried you here. Klaus already took a blood sample to test, so we were just waiting for you to wake up and tell us how you felt." Yawning and late to join the conversation, Soseki joined the other two standing around what I guessed were the clinic beds. "I did all the carrying," the journalist yawned, stretching. "Weiss here worried enough for the two of us. I don't see what he's so worked up about, unless he's never had food poisoning."

While Weiss and Soseki glared at each other, Klaus rolled his eyes and took a couple of papers from an envelope, sighing, "If it were food poisoning, her stomach would have emptied itself by now. According to the symptoms and blood test, Rose's condition fits a combination of exhaustion..." He frowned at me before continuing, "... and the consumption of a large amount of poisonous mushrooms." _Mushrooms? _That made sense, but then again Clement had to know the difference between edible and poisonous fungus. "Wait, if I'd eaten poison mushrooms, wouldn't my body have done the same thing as if I'd eaten bad fish? I mean, it'd try to get rid of the toxin, right?"

Klaus shook his head, looking at me like I was hopelessly uneducated on health. "The toxic mushrooms that grow in the forest and on the mountain are very similar in structure to the non-toxic variety. Their poison is identified by the body as a nutrient, and is quickly absorbed into the system. It can be in no way fatal, but if you eat ingest several mushrooms' worth of the toxin, you'll be ill for anything from a few hours to a week." I stared at the doctor, grumbling, "Hold on. I'm not gonna sit here and wait until this stuff wears off! Isn't there a way to fix it?" He crossed his arms and answered begrudgingly, "I can give you an injection that should restore your health, and another for your stamina. But it's an expensive medicine. Do you have four thousand g on you?"

I gaped at Klaus, stuttering, "Y- you're kidding me, right? Four thousand's a little much." _How am I supposed to have four thousand g?! My publisher gets most of the money from my book sales, and I only get paid once a season... _"Is there another, cheaper option?" The doctor simply shrugged, sighing, "If you can't afford it, you'll have to stay here for a few days until you're cleared. Let's see... meals will consist of yogurt and orange juice, and you'll have to remain in that bed the entire time. I can't have you passing out on my floor or throwing up on my equipment. Assuming you'll be here for about three to five days, the cost will be fifteen hundred g."

"But I can't afford that either!" Klaus shook his head, asking, "How much do you have then?" I pulled my wallet out of my pocket and held it out to him, trying not to look embarrassed by its contents. "Two hundred twenty three g and a bookmark," he sighed, folding the wallet up and handing it back. "I was joking about the yogurt. I can't give you the medicine for free, and I assume your cousin can't afford to pay your bill." Weiss' face turned red and he nodded, mumbling, "Not at the moment." _As though I'd let someone else pay for it..._ With a nod, Klaus added, "You can either stay here or in the home of someone you trust. You'll have to take vitamin supplements and eat only what you can source, such as wild fruits and dairy. Weiss, are you up for it?"

"She could stay at my place," Soseki suggested. _Uh, no I couldn't... Nope. Not happening. No way... _"You, Soseki, can barely take care of yourself," Klaus alleged. The writer gave a shrug, replying, "I figured Weiss has his farm stuff to take care of, and I'm pretty much the only one in town without a shop or a job to worry about. Who knows, maybe Rose Bud will teach me some responsibility." Klaus frowned, looking at me. "What do you think, Rose?" _Absolutely not. Never in a million years could I stay with- _"Uh, it's your call..." _I can't bother anybody else though... Maybe Weiss will speak up. _"Weiss, you'll have to visit Soseki's house and check up on her daily. If the illness lasts more than a week, come back immediately." Weiss nodded, and I twitched a little bit. "Uh, on second thought-" I was interrupted by a grip on the back of my overalls, and two seconds later I was hanging over Soseki's right shoulder. "Hey, wait a sec. I can't stay at your house. Where am I supposed to sleep? And anyway, we're not related, so wouldn't it just be awkward to stay under the same roof? How about I just stay here?"

Soseki laughed, "You obviously get the bed. I can easily sleep on the floor or in a chair. C'mon, it'll be fun, like a sleepover. Are you too serious to remember those?" I glared at the floor as he started walking, annoyed that he couldn't see my angry expression. "I never had sleepovers as a kid. We really didn't have any neighbors or anything... Anyway, sleepovers are meant to be with members of the same gender, right?" He was already walking out the door, my bag, his jacket, and a bottle of vitamins bundled up in his left hand, and Weiss was trying to keep from laughing as he followed, adding, "You two have fun braiding each other's hair and telling ghost stories. I'll cook something and bring it by later. And Soseki, if anything happens to her, you die. See you later." He waved too nicely and walked on ahead toward the farm as I shouted, "Get back here, you conspirator!"

"You know, for a sick person, you're awfully loud. Sleepovers are like a rite of passage for kids nowadays. You've been missing out. And to answer your question, it's only awkward between members of the opposite sex when one has feelings for the other. This is just two friends spending time together... Unless you have something to tell me?" _Something to... Is he implying that I-? _I froze up, snapping, "Of course not, Old Man!" I couldn't see his face, but I imagined he wore a wide grin. _Don't mess with me... _He shrugged, and I grumbled, "I'm trying to _not _puke up here." We passed Chez Clement, and I got to thinking about the spaghetti. How was I the only one who got poison mushrooms? I mean, unless the other two just barely got any or were immune to the toxin, my plate had to be the only one with the bad mushrooms on it. Did Clement make each plate in a separate batch and not realize that one had the wrong mushrooms? I'd have to ask next time I-

My thoughts were interrupted by a loud laugh, and I turned my frown and glare on Allen, who was standing in front of his shop. "You got a problem, pretty boy?" I snapped, trying without much success to look menacing while hanging over Soseki's shoulder. Allen shrugged, smirking and replying calmly, "I'm sorry, I didn't realize being carried around like a sack of potatoes was a normal thing for you. It must be a farm thing." I didn't feel like a potato... until he mentioned it... And I'd lived on an Orchard, not a farm! "Hey, Soseki, put me down so I can slug him." He refused, and I squirmed around, trying to get down on my own. This apparently amused Allen, and as he kept laughing at me, I shouted, "Keep laughing and soon you won't be able to!"

"Please don't threaten the townsfolk, Rose Bud. Even Allen. It's not his fault he's incapable of understanding real humor," Soseki said, just loudly enough for Allen to hear. As we left the hairstylist behind I stuck my tongue out at him, and he rolled his eyes. I felt a couple more stares before reaching Soseki's house, but I ignored them. When Soseki had dropped the bundle in his haori on the table and closed the door, he set me down, letting me stand for a minute. "Make yourself at home, Rose Bud. And don't tell Weiss you weren't put down for a nap immediately. He'd throw a fit. I'd make some tea, but I can't stand the stuff. How about some Cafe Mocha?" I nodded, replying, "That sounds fine," and took a seat at his square table.

"You have a lot of books," I added, noting the piles of novels and journals on the floor around the bed and overflowing shelf. "If you need more space I'm sure Weiss would remodel your house and build you a bigger shelf." Soseki turned and glanced at the books before setting two mugs on his small counter. "This space is perfect for one disorganized journalist. I'd consider renovation if I were living with others. Emma and her daughter need a renovation more than I do, even if Yuri spends most of her time at that tailor's shop. For now, this is enough, you know?" I raised an eyebrow at his words, watching as he mixed milk and chocolate packs into the coffee cups.

He sat, sliding one of the mugs across the table and blowing on the top of the other. I chuckled as he burned his tongue on the first sip, waiting a little longer before taking a drink of the surprisingly sweet coffee. "I didn't think you were the type of person to like sweet things," I admitted, watching him take another sip and smirk at the coffee as though he'd outsmarted it. Soseki smiled and sighed, "I'm not usually. But if it's the right combination of warmth and bitter-sweetness, I can get hooked. This and espresso are the only hot drinks I really like." I took a second sip, closing my eyes. There was a balance of sweet and bitter, but the warmth lent the sweetness just a little more flavor. "You're right. It's really good."

"Of course I'm right," he laughed, taking a long drink of his coffee. The laugh faded, and his smile dropped into a neutral frown. "Klaus said to stay with someone you trust. Does that mean you trust me, or did I not give you enough chance to argue?" I looked at the table as I thought about that. I hadn't really wanted to stay at Soseki's house. But it wasn't like he was Allen. I didn't hate him or want to stay as far from him as possible. "I argued because I've never had to stay with a non-relative, especially a male. I thought it would be strange." I gave Soseki a smile, adding, "I trust you."

Soseki nodded, crossing his arms. "I see. Well, I told you that I'd explain my reasons for coming to this town when I knew you trusted me," he started, leaning back in his chair. "Do you remember the huge news story about a year back, when two journalists followed a map through the Eastern Desert?" I nodded, replying, "They were looking for the Blue Oasis, a legendary spring said to have healing powers. Supposedly it hadn't been visited in a hundred years, because no one survived in the desolate sands long enough to reach it. My parents visited that desert a few weeks before my father died, as one of the entries on his bucket list. I studied that story for weeks, but I couldn't base a novel off of it because one of the journalists had promised his story to a film company, and the other was never found."

"He didn't need to be found, Rose Bud. After he was abandoned and led astray, a desert rose found him and saved his life. He never returned to his hometown, but he's not dead. If you want to hear the whole story, I'll tell you." I nodded, asking, "Are you comfortable reliving it?" Soseki sighed, smiling. "Well I guess I spoiled the twist then. I guess I should start from when I heard about the job. My friend Akio and I were unstoppable as journalists. If there was a story, no matter how deep we had to dig, we brought it to print for the public..."


	13. The Past and the Present

Soseki leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes and giving a sigh. "Akio and I were both young journalists in the city that bloomed just beside the desert. The two of us were rivals, but we were also best friends. We'd constantly try to one-up each other. Akio would research and I'd pull information from interviews, and the better story was rewarded with free drinks at one of the pubs we frequented. On any big story, we'd compile our efforts into an article and share the pay. When we heard about the map to the Eastern Oasis, Akio immediately asked the boss if we could take the job together. Once we had the okay, we did some snooping, found out as much as we could about the spring and map, and headed into the Eastern Desert. We took only what we could carry on our backs. Food, water, and most importantly paper and pen were our supplies. There was a lot of news coverage that first day as we set out, but after a few days we stopped hearing about it on the radio we'd brought. That radio signal was choppy, but it was comforting after over a week in the sand and heat to hear the familiar voices of the newscasters talking about something else.

"After about three weeks, we were running low on morale and supplies, but we knew we were getting close. Every night when we went to bed, Akio would talk about how great it would be when we got back. He always said it was best to keep our minds off the work and treat the venture like a path, that we'd be able to start our own newspaper when we returned, and we'd be a famous duo. But he had no intention of returning with me. One night, about a month into the journey, Akio noted that we only had two bottles of water and a few pieces of walnut bread in the supply bag. I reminded him that we could go without for a day or two if we had to, but once we reached the oasis we could radio back to the news station and ask them to send a helicopter for us."

He picked up his cafe mocha and took a sip, setting the mug down with slightly shaking fingers. Then he looked at me, asking, "Should I go on, or am I boring you?" There was a silent conflict in his eyes. He wanted me to say yes, but at the same time the answer he wanted was no. He didn't want to talk about it, but he wanted someone to know. I could guess at what had happened in the desert, but I wanted Soseki to tell me. It didn't seem like he'd discussed the oasis in a long time, and if that old man could be open about it with someone as distant as me, maybe the journalist could get back to loving his work. "Please tell me the rest." With a nod, Soseki took a deep breath and let it out, closing his eyes once again. "I'm sorry, sometimes I ramble. Where was I?"

"The helicopter," I suggested, watching him smile as he remembered. My stomach was in knots from my illness, but the dizziness had subsided and it no longer felt stuffy and hot indoors. I thanked Soseki silently and took one of the multivitamins from Klaus while he continued his story.

"The deal of the search was that we'd locate the oasis on foot, following a replica of the famous map that belonged to our city's museum. It would be almost impossible to maneuver a vehicle or carriage through the sand, and the oasis itself had never been spotted during helicopter fly-overs. When we arrived at the site we were to scout out any artifacts that the museum might want, and once we were prepared to go back, we would contact the city via our two way radio and send up flares when we heard the helicopter overhead. It wasn't the simplest plan, but we decided it would work well enough. On the night we discussed the oasis, I dreamed that we'd found it, but all the water had dried up and there was nothing left of the structure around the dead spring. It was a silly nightmare, but the thought bothered me. I wondered if we could be chasing a fairy tale.

"When I woke the next morning, our camp had been taken down. The supply bags, tent, and map were gone, and so was Akio. I knew he'd left me behind, but I sat for a long while on the blanket that made up half of what I'd been left with, trying to figure out why. My sun-bleached haori was bundled up and weighted down in the sand with a few stones, and when I opened it I found my papers and pen, a piece of bread and a bottle of water. I didn't know if it was real, if Akio had left me there or was ever coming back for me. There were no telltale footprints in the sand, and Akio had been in charge of the map, leaving me with no clue as to the direction to travel in. I knew that for the past few days we'd been heading east, so I followed the sunlight until I couldn't walk any longer. I didn't let hurt or anger into my mind, but I knew I'd lost the man who was my brother to greed. He'd been the closest thing I'd had to family in a long time...

"After four days of wandering and trying to ration my meager supplies, I had about a cup of hot water left. I'd had plenty of time to think, and decided as I watched the shimmering sand warp in the heat that if I ever made it out of the desert, I would leave the city behind and never look back. All the writing I truly loved was in my bag, and there was no one to say goodbye to. Even as I planned my move, I knew I would never leave the desert. A week later I fell in the sand and stayed there, unable to do anything but lay there and think. I'd torn something in my back and I could no longer feel my legs. Despite the absence of food or water in my system, I spent the morning vomiting every time I tried to move my body. There was no strength left in my being, and my thoughts were only of the oasis. If only I could drag myself along, maybe I'd find the spring before I shriveled up and died. Or what if Akio had simply gone out to scout that morning and was looking for me? Anything, no matter how silly, sounded plausible as I tried to ignore that I couldn't even stand. Uncomfortable with the gritty sand pressed against my skin, I rolled over and wiped the sand from my face with a sleeve, ashamed that I was barely able to do that. I looked up at the hazy sky, noting that the sun had passed over me and it was slowly growing dark. Heaving one final sigh I closed my eyes and resigned to death, hating myself and my weakness. Then came the miracle."

He stopped and stood up, walking the three steps to his inadequate kitchen. There he took a plate from the oven, shuffling back to set it on the table. I glanced suspiciously at the food, frowning. It looked like an ordinary plate of eel rice. "This is your miracle?" I asked in disbelief. With an amused smile Soseki nodded, replying, "This is half of a miracle." I hadn't noticed before, but he looked different when he smiled. While he was talking about the desert, he had a sad, pitiful expression, but now he looked more... Soseki-like, if that makes sense. When he looked happy, his brown eyes were warm and shining, and he didn't look like a lazy mess. Smiling suited him, and I couldn't help but watch him grin as he took a couple pairs of chopsticks from the cupboard and set them on either side of the plate. He caught me staring and the smile widened as he joked, "Are you confused, or do you just like looking at me?"

"Confused," I grumbled, looking away from him as my face grew warm. Why would I like looking at him? He had a stupid dopey smile and scraggly old man eyebrows! Soseki chuckled at my annoyed expression before adding, "If you feel up to it, have some eel rice while I finish telling you my story. I promise there're no mushrooms in it." I frowned at him and shrugged. "It doesn't matter what's in it if you're a crappy cook, ya know. If it tastes like Weiss' cooking, I'm going back to the clinic," I teased, picking up a pair of chopsticks. "And if I eat it, you have to as well." He laughed, "That's fine by me," and took up the other chopsticks, picking up a bite. "On three," I ordered jokingly. "One, two... two and a half-"

I glanced down at the chopsticks in Soseki's hand as a piece of eel with rice was shoved into my mouth. "Excuse me," I mumbled through the food, "That was your bite." Soseki grinned. "You never said we had to eat off of our own chopsticks," he explained, taking back his utensils as I grumpily chewed the force-fed bite. After I'd swallowed the admittedly well-cooked eel rice, I snapped back, "It's common sense," and looked at Soseki. He was looking at me like I had no concept of fun, and after a moment he asked, "Didn't you say I had to try it too, Rose Bud?" I glared at him and nodded. "Yes. Get yourself another bite and eat it yourself this time." He sighed and looked at the plate, then pointed at the piece of eel held in my chopsticks. "I want that one," he pouted, ignoring my 'no' face. "Then we'll be even after you stole my bite." I gaped at the grinning journalist, finding so many faults in his logic that I decided to say nothing and save myself the annoyance.

"Take it," I grumbled, holding out the food. I expected him to grab the bite with his own chopsticks like a normal person, but let's face it, he's got no sense. Soseki leaned forward and ate the fish straight off my chopsticks, smiling like a moron. "Thanks," he mumbled, chewing. "Whatever... But we need to trade chopsticks now. You ate off mine and now your germs are on them." Soseki chuckled at my germaphobia, handing over his chopsticks with a shrug. "It was worth it," he teased. It felt warm again, but I don't think it had anything to do with my being sick. I was annoyed at his frivolous behavior, but glad he wasn't depressed like he'd seemed before. Scratch that, I wasn't glad he was anything. As an acquaintance, I was relieved that the man wasn't a heap of depressed journalist. "Are you gonna finish your story or what?" I grumbled, glaring at the wall. "Fine, fine, I was just having a little fun. Guess it's time for that miracle."

Soseki smiled and set down his (formerly my) chopsticks. "As I said, I'd given up on making it out of the desert alive. The sun was setting and I still wasn't able to move my legs. I was only half-conscious when a shadow fell over me, and my mind decided it was the reaper come to collect me. But when I opened my eyes, instead of father death a woman stood over me with a man standing just behind. They talked to each other for a minute, and after that I blacked out. I hadn't expected to wake, but when I did I was in a large tent. The two people, an older couple, gave me a cup of water before asking why I was alone in the desert. About a minute after drinking the whole glass in one gulp I decided to tell them the truth, and I explained about Akio. They were sympathetic and told me that they were on vacation, to head home in the next few days to see their daughter, who was holding down the fort at home. I told them they were blessed to have someone waiting for them, and they invited me to stay with them when they returned. I declined, not wanting to get involved with people so soon after Akio's betrayal.

"They understood what I felt and told me that I had to at least accompany them until I was stronger and we left the desert, and visit at least once a year. Obviously I was in no condition to argue with that, so I agreed. The next day I was strong enough to sit up, and they offered me a meal. For someone who hadn't eaten in over a week, it was a blessing, and I told them so. I ate every bite of the eel rice they gave me and asked to hear more about their home as we traveled. The woman told me that her daughter had made the rice before they'd left. She said they'd lived in the same town all their lives, that there weren't many people, but it was beautiful nonetheless. She talked about the trees that stood guard over the grounds, and about the blessing the Harvest Goddess had given her orchard, that as long as the two lived in the town, the trees would bear beautiful apples every fall. They offered me one as we parted ways in a small town to the North, and though I felt bad for having nothing to give them in return, I couldn't refuse. It was without a doubt the best apple I've eaten in my life. I actually hate fruit, apples especially, because in the past year I haven't been able to find one that lives up to that apple in the desert."

I stared at Soseki, shaking my head. "You aren't serious, are you?" His description of the couple was coming perilously close to that of my parents... They were in the desert at that time, studying the plants they loved. And mom would always remind me of the Goddess' blessing, gifted on the day of their wedding. The day before they left, I cooked a week's worth of eel rice to add to their packaged meals, and we'd packed a dozen apples. "What were their names?" Soseki looked concerned with my interest, but replied, "They said to call them mom and dad... It was odd, but I had to give them at least that. I asked about their daughter, but they said nothing about her name either. Dad- the man, told me she was their prized red rose, and that despite her reservations over being adopted, he couldn't have asked for a better daughter. I have to say, it's rare to see parents gush about a child old enough to take care of herself."

"They always talked like that to anyone who'd listen," I explained, ignoring Soseki's surprised stare. "The orchard was blessed, and the two of them were inseparable until the end... Why did you never visit them?" The journalist blinked, shaking his head. "How do you know I didn't? You aren't... Rose Bud, you're- the one that made that eel rice? I should have you cook for me," he laughed, totally ignoring the serious part of the conversation. "My parents never mentioned your name. They told me they'd met a 'nice young man' while on their desert vacation who was due to visit any time. They must've stretched the truth about your being nice. Father died less that a season later with no visit from you, and the day before mom joined him she told me it was a shame you hadn't come by and had another apple... The orchard's gone now. In less than a year the trees have all twisted and died. Why didn't you ever visit?!" I was upset with Soseki for being the one to keep my parents waiting when they knew they had little time left.

Soseki's eyes widened, and I ignored his shock as he stuttered, "I- it's gone? But I-" He sighed and knelt by his books, tearing a page from one of the journals. "M- Your parents made me this map. I was planning to surprise them by visiting on the first of Spring, so I could finally pay them back by helping out with the planting... But they're..." My anger faded as I watched his sad smile. He'd lost them now, just as I had when they'd passed away. The first of Spring had been a goal he kept in sight to repay the couple who'd saved his life and showed him family again, and now that was gone as well. After a moment's hesitation I drew open the bag on my necklace, taking out one of the precious apple seeds I'd saved. "Soseki, I want you to have this," I announced, holding out the seed. "In Spring I intend to revive the orchard with these. I want you to plant this one with me."

He looked up and blinked at the sight of the apple seed, looking at me with a level of understanding I wasn't expecting. With another smile he took the offering and picked up his pink, floral print haori, unzipping an inner pocket and taking out a small plastic bag. Through the transparent plastic I could see about a dozen dark teardrop shapes scattered along the bottom of the bag. "You didn't," I started, baffled. Soseki smiled and opened the bag, swapping the seed I'd given him for another and holding out the new one. "I told you I wanted to help plant. I saved all the seeds from that apple, but I've never been in one place long enough to plant them on my own. Looks like we've got something in common, Rose Bud." I took the proffered apple seed and added it to my collection, shaking my head. "You're the weirdest person I've ever met, Soseki."

"Hey, what about my nickname, Rose Bud?" Soseki gave me a hurt look and held up the plastic bag. "I told you my biggest secrets and I don't even get my nickname anymore?" I shrugged, replying with a smile, "You're not much of an old man anymore. If you want a nickname, you need a better one." I took a bite of the eel rice and looked at Soseki, who was grinning. "How about Soseki the Great? Or Young Man?" I shook my head and laughed, "I said a better one, weirdo. How about I call you Scraggly Hair?"

"My hair isn't that scraggly! It's even well-maintained and soft! Go on, feel it." He ate a piece of eel and smiled, and I found myself liking the smile more. It really did suit him. "Want to see who can eat faster?" he challenged. "You're on... Old Man." Five minutes later, laughing and stuffed, I excused myself, ran to the bathroom, and threw up the entire meal and most likely some of the mushroom spaghetti from lunch. Okay, maybe I shouldn't have been goofing off, scarfing food, and joking around while I was sick. But for some reason I felt less like- me, and more like I had back at the orchard, when Weiss and I were kids. I didn't know why, but I did know one thing. Soseki was _definitely_ the weirdest person I'd ever met.


	14. Gravity

I rolled over and blinked my eyes open, yawning and pulling the comforter over my shoulder. There was an unwelcome chill in the air, but I canceled it out with the blanket as thought kept me from my rest. After I'd thrown up, Soseki had requested I lay down and take another vitamin. Deciding to save myself the trouble of further complications, I agreed, and I'd fallen asleep after maybe five minutes. Now I felt relatively well. My fever had broken and it didn't feel as though the room was spinning, though a slight headache remained. A glance at the clock on the bedside table told me it was past 3 am, and I looked around the room, wondering if Soseki was asleep yet. Sure enough, the writer was sprawled over the table, snoring lightly. His right hand rested atop a pad of paper, the pen lying beside it likely having rolled out of his grip as he drifted off. The haori and my bag were on the opposite corner, scooted to the side along with an empty mug, and I assumed he'd stayed up late writing.

I lifted the blanket from the bed and draped it over my arm as I climbed drowsily out of bed, tiptoeing over to where Soseki sat sleeping. Silently I lifted his arm from the paper, sliding it away so the ink wouldn't stain his sleeve and setting it gently back on the table. When I took a peek at his writing, I was surprised to see several starts to something scratched out. I couldn't read the crossed-out parts, but at the bottom there was a paragraph, circled twice in the smeared black ink.

"Akio. It's been hard to think of what happened. I've been shown the truth of family, and I know that you are only human. Therefore, I can finally say that I forgive you, though I will never return to Hara City. Thank you for being my friend.

-Soseki."

How could he forgive the person who'd left him to die in the Eastern Desert!? Was he that naive despite his experiences? I studied the sleeping journalist with a frown, but he looked the same as always. A dopey old man... As I drew near he shivered and mumbled something I didn't understand. Bending down, I swung the blanket over his shoulders, letting it fall over his back. There was no reason for him to go without covers, and now that I thought of it, a cushion either. I snatched a soft pillow from the head of the bed, tucking it under his head as well as I could without waking him and sitting on the edge of the bed. Soseki stirred and spoke again, something about the Oasis and shriveling up. A sad expression took over as he whispered, "Please come back," and I sighed, taking my pillow and carrying the chair from the other side of the table to sit beside him. After situating my pillow on the table I pulled the blanket lengthwise and manipulated it so that it covered both of us from our seated positions. With a yawn I crossed my arms on the pillow and laid my head on them, glancing at the writer sitting perpendicular to me.

Honestly, Soseki had to be either very foolish, or far too kind for his own good. Either way, he'd get into trouble if he kept it up, but it wasn't a bad thing altogether. Watching his shoulders rise and fall with his breaths, I noted the peaceful expression he wore, wondering how often he'd fallen asleep thinking of Akio's betrayal and whether it was my parents' influence that led to his decision to forgive the man. The drafted letter had mentioned 'the truth of family,' and I assumed he was referring to Echo Town's people or the stories my mother had told of Orchard Town. I found myself thinking moments later that it was comforting to have Soseki sitting beside me, that I felt secure and trusted next to the person who was slowly becoming my best friend...

Dammit, this funny-eyebrowed old man was changing me! I couldn't believe I was being so sappy and sentimental. It wasn't like me to wonder about someone's thoughts so much, and I decided it was time to get back to bed and abandon being comforting. After all, Soseki no longer seemed to be upset. With a sigh I pushed myself up from the chair, turning to go back to bed, but as I pulled away from the table I felt my shirt snag on something. I looked back to see my sleeve gripped in Soseki's fingers and gave another quiet sigh. "You really are hopeless," I grumbled, sitting back down and prying his hand off my arm. Frowning, I studied his face again, unable to just leave him there with that stupid sad expression returning.

Deciding to ignore emotion and embarrassment, I took Soseki's hand in mine, hoping that it would help him sleep soundly and without the threat of nightmares. After all he'd been through, he deserved that much at least... "Goodnight, Soseki," I mumbled, laying back on the pillow. "Goodnight, Rose Bud." I froze as my face started to burn. He couldn't have been... My gaze snapped upward, and I stared at the journalist who smiled back at me. In ignorance of my miniature heart attack, he added, "Sorry I'm so hopeless. I just wanted to see how long I could convince you to sit with me."

I stood quickly and dropped his hand on the table, glowering at him as I flung the blanket from my shoulders onto his head. "Don't mess with me," I growled, snatching my pillow and stomping back to the bed as he called, "See you in the morning." Yeah, right. I couldn't stay here. Not with Mister 'Everything's a game.' When Weiss arrived I'd request to stay on the farm for a few days until I was cleared by Klaus to be alone. Well, maybe not as soon as he got here, but definitely soon. Facing the wall I cursed the mushroom spaghetti for making me ill and glared at the books brimming over the shelves. It was still cold, but I ignored the chill and curled up, my perpetual frown back in its rightful place. _The more I learn about him, the less I understand. How can one person be so confusing? _I resolved to ignore Soseki from now on and focus totally on reviving the orchard and writing. After all, if sappy, lovestruck Weiss could run a farm and keep up relations with the townsfolk, I could do what was necessary to win that bet.

At this point I couldn't see myself asking any of the four men in town to attend the festival with me. Allen's bossy ass was so out of the question it wasn't funny, and Rod's overly happy demeanor really wasn't my type. Not that I even have a type. There was always Neil. He loved animals as much as I did, if not even more... but we weren't exactly likely to become friends. Teasing him was more fun than talking to him. That left Soseki, who I resolved not to ask under any circumstances. Things were already becoming strange, and I didn't want him thinking I liked him. Well, not that I didn't, but not that way, at least... Not 'like' like, or love or anything, just a mutual respect and an admiration for his character. At most. It would just be weird if I invited someone I had such conflicted feel- thoughts- about to a festival that was meant for couples. The best thing to do was to keep quiet and let whatever would happen go ahead and happen.

Of course, my brain didn't want me to get any sleep, and as my fever returned with a vengeance, I heard a question in my mind. _'What if he asks you? What then?' _My frown deepened, and I closed my eyes, trying to get to sleep while arguing with my conscience. _I'll say- He won't invite me! He's not that crazy. There are five other girls in town, all kinder than me, and none of them are committed to a date for the Starry Night Festival. Why would anyone invite me when they're here? _

_'Why would Soseki invite one of them when you're here? You've only been here a few days, and think of the experiences you've had. Have you ever felt so strongly about someone without absolutely hating his guts?'_

_ Yes... I don't know. Shut up, brain! I don't care that he's told me about the desert, or that I've explained the Orchard. I don't care that I miss my parents and I want someone to talk to about the dreams. Why should anyone care about me when I can't even control my own future?!_

There was only dark silence now, and in the smothering heat of my illness I soon passed out, sprawled over the bed and gripping the pillow tightly.

_'Rose Red, forgive me...' _I opened my eyes, expecting to see the stars overhead once more, but this time I was standing and facing two faceless figures who kept their distance from me. I could tell that one was a taller man and the other a woman, but it was too dark to discern any features, and my vision was unfocused. I turned my head as I realized there was a grip across my shoulders, but the person holding me captive was also impossible to identify in the darkness. I noticed that despite the man's height, my captor and I were high enough to look down at him, and it became apparent after a few seconds that we were on the crest of the hill, atop the fence that bordered the cliffside I'd seen in my previous nightmares. If he so much as slipped, we'd both tumble over the edge, and from this height there would be no escaping death. "What do you want?" I asked, hoping to know at least what the motive was in this attack that I assumed was the event I'd been dreaming.

The enemy whose darkness had invaded my dreams gripped my shoulder tighter, taking a step backward and into oblivion. "Rose!" The taller figure dashed forward, an arm outstretched toward me as we began the fall from the cliff. I found myself reaching for the hand even as I knew there was no chance, and as darkness and silence took over the nightmare, there was a final whisper from my captor. The answer to my question sent a chill across my heart as we plunged into the nothingness of my dream's end. _'Freedom...'_


	15. Clarity

Once again the morning found me with a hollow heart and no recollection of my surroundings, and as I weakly opened my eyes, there was a shout from a couple of yards away. "Red! You okay?" I frowned, watching silently as Weiss rushed to the chair that had been set by the bed. My throat felt dry and scratchy, and my mouth was too heavy to open, so I just looked up at my cousin and tried to smile. Why did I feel worse all of a sudden? And how come Weiss was here so early? He said he was going to cook and drop by, but it felt like mid-morning. Letting my shallow breaths steady, I glanced out the window to see the shadows angling East. So it was sunset? Then I'd slept all day... I frowned and looked at Weiss expectantly, trying to clear my throat without erupting into a spasmic fit of coughing. His cheeks turned pink as he nodded, obviously thinking I was upset with his slowness, and fetched a glass of water, fidgeting as he tried to figure out how to give me it.

With a slow sigh I disobeyed my body and sat up as far as I could. A damp hand towel slid down my forehead and landed on my lap almost silently as I reached a shaky hand out to take the glass. The condensation on the surface rolled down my hand, and after I'd taken a sip, it slipped from my grip and splashed on the sheets before the glass rolled off the bed and shattered on the ground. "Sorry," I mumbled. I reached down to pick up the pieces, but my fingers barely grazed one of the shards, and if I hadn't sat up I would have followed the cup to the floor. "What time is it?" I asked. Looking at Weiss' soft white hair, I really wanted to play with it. Of course, I wasn't about to reach over and do that, but the thought occurred to me. His brown eyes took on a confusion they'd neglected to hold before, and I frowned. This couldn't be good. Weiss mumbled, "Seven pm... On the ninth." I shook my head and snapped, "It was around one am on the seventh when I fell asleep!" My cousin nodded, and I stared at him with my most puzzled expression falling into disbelief.

"Soseki had said to let you sleep, since the fever hadn't broken, but Emma came by my house to drop off your shipping money, and we decided to send for Klaus since your temperature wasn't dropping, but we couldn't find him, and now I don't know where that idiot and the doctor are, and I've been freaking out for a little over an hour." After listening calmly to his panicked run-on sentence, I grabbed Weiss' shoulders and gave him a good shake, snapping, "Quit freakin' out. It's after Klaus' hours, so Soseki's probably gotta go find him. I'm fine, probably just tired from all that running around I was doing this past week..." I paused, looking at the bag on the table. "How much did I earn in shipping?"

"A little over twenty-thousand g with the ore and gems," Weiss answered. I almost had a heart attack on top of everything else. I hadn't been that far out of the red in at least a year... If I could make mining a regular activity, maybe I'd earn enough to buy back the land in Orchard Town. From the way my cousin was shaking his head, I figured he knew what I'd been thinking. With a sigh he did little to mask, Weiss knelt by the bed and started picking up the bits of broken glass, grumbling, "I thought moving here meant you'd also moved on. The entire town's been bought out. There's nothing there to go back for. If you wanted to replant there, you'd have to destroy what that company's going to build as well, and don't think you can do that for less than ten million g." He stood and dropped his collected shards into the trash bin, studying the floor in case he'd left any behind. Then he simply sat and stared out the window impatiently.

After maybe ten minutes I hazarded a suggestion. "You know, since I'm up, I'm doing well enough for you to go look for them. I'll stay in bed. Just leave me another cup of water." Weiss' initial reaction was similar to my 'not a chance' look, and I gave him a not-so-subtle frown. "Tch, you don't think I can take care of myself!" With a frown of his own, he replied, "No. That's why you're here. You never worry about your health or safety. It's always, 'This looks interesting, let's check it out and disregard that it could kill me.' How did you manage to stay in good health in Orchard Town with no one reminding you to wear a raincoat or use common sense? I worry about a lot of things, Red. My animals and crops, the town, the fact that my foot's still swollen from the other day... But you're the most worrisome person I know. It scares me to think that you'll hide your illness or injury just so it doesn't bother others. I know you don't like to share suffering, but please at least tell me when these things happen. If you'd made it home before collapsing, would you have called for the doctor?"

Watching him rant about my carelessness, I began to wonder whether he had a point. At the question, I shook my head and answered, "No. I would have slept it off. Even Klaus said it wasn't serious anyway, right? C'mon, you can trust me for ten minutes while you find Soseki and Klaus, right? How much trouble can I get into when I can't climb out of bed? You can ask around and see if anyone's noticed either of them... And I'm sorry I don't like to talk about being careless and- stuff." With an annoyed but convinced look, Weiss scooted the chair closer to the head of the bed, setting a mug of cold water onto it. "Well, if you ever have 'stuff' you need to tell someone, remember that I'm here." Smirking, he added, "My parents were right about you." I glared after him as he left the room, calling, "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Nothing." Weiss set the washcloth on the counter and waved, heading outside. The second he was out of sight, I climbed slowly out of the bed, amused that I was still wearing my boots. I drank the cup of water and set the empty mug back on the chair, shuffling unsteadily over to the door. I know I'd said Weiss could trust me, but really I needed to know what was going on, and it was too stuffy and hot to think in there. After opening the door I paused. My body wanted out, but my mind wasn't having any of my crap, so I just stood there for a couple of minutes with the door hanging open. I wasn't really disobeying anyone since I was still inside. The cool, Winter air felt soothing, and I held onto the doorframe to prevent myself from doing anything stupid (like joining the search, which I sort of wanted to take part in.) Even without running around outside I felt much better, and I closed the door quietly, walking back to the bed. As I sat down I realized that not only had I been asleep for almost three days, but I'd also been stealing Soseki's bed the entire time... I wondered if he'd gotten any rest, or if he hadn't returned because he himself had collapsed on the way...

_Thanks for the worry, mind. _With a sigh, I reined in my thoughts and found myself wondering once again about the mushroom spaghetti. At this point I really didn't care who'd made the mistake. I wasn't going to blame Clement for my illness, since as Weiss said I was careless anyway. But there was a nagging thought that wouldn't go away, reminding me that the chef would definitely never mistake a poison mushroom for an edible one. Someone else must have made or tampered with the pasta for them to be there... Did that mean somebody had tried to poison Weiss' order? The only ones who'd have access to the ingredients would be Clement and Felicity, and as far as I knew, there wasn't a chance they'd do something like this on purpose. As I stood and walked to the sink, I remembered Grimm's delivery. He'd been so friendly that day, and every time we'd met. But he had access to the prepared spaghetti... _Could he have switched the mushrooms?_ It didn't make sense, but he was the only lead I had. After all, he didn't know Soseki and Weiss. After washing my face and trying to fix my matted hair, I looked out the window. No one was in sight, and I gave a sigh. I needed to talk with Grimm...

Five guilt-filled minutes later I knocked at the door of Grimm's room, hoping he was in. I'd left a note in case anyone returned before I did, but I hoped strongly that I'd be the first back. Weiss would never trust me again if he knew what I was doing, but maybe he'd forgive if I explained why. Though knowing Weiss, he'd be even more upset that I was confronting someone I suspected of poisoning me, however accidentally it may have been. Luckily I felt nothing like I had when I'd first woken, and I was able to keep my throat clear and stand steadily as I waited for Grimm to open the door. What greeted me when he did was nothing like I'd anticipated. I found myself trapped in the tight hold of a hug, and only after about twenty seconds did he release me, apologizing over and over. "I'm so sorry Rose Red. I was just really worried. I heard about your illness, and I haven't heard from you in a couple days, so I was just really relieved to see you looking healthy. Are you okay? I'm sorry. This is all my fault. I wanted to try making the spaghetti, but I used the wrong mushrooms, and I told Clement, and he told me to pay for your treatment, so I went to find Klaus. I'm sorry. When I did though, he was with that long-haired writer, and when I explained, Soseki started shouting at me, so I came home, and now you're here. I'm sorry, please forgive me, Rose Red."

I stared at Grimm for about a minute, letting his words sink in. They seemed sincere, but there was something chilling in his last sentence. _Those words and that voice... He was... _I took a step back and brushed against the door to my own room. "Grimm... It's fine," I lied, smiling to hide my shock. "I've made similar mistakes. I have to go, but I'll see you later, okay?" With a friendly nod, the raven-haired man waved, closing his door as I walked in slow, measured steps down the hall. Once at the stairwell I looked back, relieved that the door was still closed. As soon as I was outside I broke into a run, knowing that I risked Weiss finding out about my visit if I slowed.

I only allowed myself to think once I'd closed the door of Soseki's house behind me, and I leaned against it for a minute before snatching my note from the table with shaking hands and tearing it up. _Who is Grimm? Why does his voice sound like the one from my dream? Was he telling the truth, or...? _Once again, my mind was racing out of my control. I laid on my back on the bed, putting an arm over my forehead as I stared at the ceiling. Nothing was making sense, and I was afraid of what I'd find if I managed to piece everything together. I closed my eyes, letting the darkness aid me. Grimm seemed to be suffering far more than he'd let on when he'd told me of his home and spaced out at the restaurant. _But why would he have lied to me? _The more I learned of Grimm, the less I could be sure of, and that was dangerous. If he truly was the dark wraith of my nightmare, why did he seem so sad and lost? And if he wasn't, why did he so strongly resemble one in desperate need of the freedom that specter craved?

The door was opened, and I listened blindly as three pairs of footsteps marched to the 'room' I was resting in. "Rose," Klaus' voice called, "If you're awake, please do your best to sit up so I can give you the immunizations." With a groan I obeyed, holding out my left arm. I didn't like being jabbed with needles, but with Klaus' strict procedures they couldn't have been contaminated with anything vile. As the doctor swabbed the injection site I looked past him, giving Weiss and Soseki a wave with my free hand. My cousin smiled back, but the journalist didn't notice the gesture. He looked either pissed or brooding, and I wondered if he was upset about the conversation he'd had with Grimm. Of course, I wasn't about to ask him and give away my earlier escapade, but I did joke, "What took you guys so long, huh?"

Weiss frowned at Soseki, grumbling, "This idiot had to buy his own shot from Klaus because he hasn't slept enough, so when I got there he was lying on the path mumbling nonsense while Klaus prodded him with a stick. Apparently they'd run into that Grimm guy, and after chewing him out Soseki finally toppled. Since Klaus didn't have his gear and obviously couldn't leave the guy there, I helped him drag Soseki to the clinic. Once he was back to normal-ish we grabbed the medicine and came back here. Sorry you had to wait." I chuckled and glanced at Soseki as Klaus handed me a bandaid and set the syringes in a plastic bag. "Are you alright, Old Man?" With a half-convincing smile, the journalist replied, "That's still my nickname? Then I think I'm fine."

"So, can I go home now?" I asked Klaus eagerly. With a frown, he shook his head, sighing, "One more night under observation. The injections should take up to twelve hours to take effect. After that, you're free to stay wherever you wish. I advise you to be careful, and in the future, please at least try to maintain your health." Returning the sigh, replied, "I get it..." Once the doctor had taken his leave, I looked to Weiss and Soseki, who always seemed to be involved when I needed anything. The overprotective relative and the troubled friend, huh? "Thanks, you two," I mumbled, frowning at Weiss' grin as he asked, "What was that?" The smile endured as I snapped, "I said thanks. You got a problem with that?" Soseki, who finally seemed to be in the conversation, replied, "I think we should celebrate. Who's up for some grass juice and eel rice?" Weiss gagged and shook his head. "Grass juice? That's just nasty." Amused but not about to make Weiss drink it, I looked at Soseki, asking, "How about you make some Cafe Mocha instead? It does go well with eel rice." The writer nodded, and Weiss shrugged. "That's fine by me," he added.

Since there were only two chairs, Soseki moved the table toward the foot of the bed, propping pillows as cushions and sitting there after setting the food and drinks on the table. Ten minutes later, amidst laughter and a pleasant meal, he was sound asleep, and Weiss confided in me something he told me Soseki needn't know. "The way he's treated you these past few days is something I hadn't anticipated. I don't want to see him hurt by your apathy. I will say that I trust him now... But please, if you care about him, don't pretend you don't deserve a friendship. This guy seems the type to be easily fooled, so if you act like you hate his guts he'll believe you."

I stared at Weiss, griping, "So you're saying you think I like him? As if, moron. I've known him for technically nine days now, and not once have I thought about him like that. So take your preaching somewhere else." With a knowing smile, Weiss shrugged, adding, "It's not my fault if you do something stupid in your denial and miss your chance." I frowned at him. "What chance?" I inquired suspiciously, careful not to sound too interested. "Yes, what chance?" Soseki echoed, yawning and sitting up to take a clueless drink of coffee as Weiss and I froze in place, staring. "How much did you hear?" Weiss asked suspiciously.

"Enough~"

_ ... Great..._


End file.
